EENA’s newsletter brings you the latest updates in emergency communications.
In this edition, you can read about failings in emergency warnings in Cyprus and New Zealand, service disruptions in emergency calls in Luxembourg and the UK, Seoul’s emergency AI callbot, and much more!
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EENA News
Wildfires in Cyprus, a heavy reminder of not implementing EU legislation on public warning
In recent days, Cyprus was hit by a series of wildfires, claiming lives and causing major damage. This has raised questions about the state’s capacity to respond to risks, including the absence of a system to warn the population efficiently and quickly in a crisis.
Despite the European Electronic Communications Code making it mandatory since 2022 to implement either Cell Broadcast or Location-Based SMS, Cyprus has yet to adopt this life-saving technology. The absence of such a system is unacceptable, and continued delays put public safety at risk. Cypriot authorities have rightly faced criticism for failing to act, but the European Commission has also neglected its duty to enforce EU law, despite repeated warnings from EENA. Before revising the Code, the Commission must prioritise full implementation of existing provisions.
The tragic events in Cyprus serve as a heavy reminder of the human cost of delayed action. EENA calls on Cyprus to urgently implement a public warning system, and on the Commission to launch infringement proceedings against all Member States that have yet to comply. The safety of every European citizen depends on the resolute enforcement of these laws.
Save the date: EENA Event: Future EU Legislation on Emergency Communications
Save the date for our upcoming event on EU legislation on emergency communications! The event will be held on 3-4 December in Brussels at the Microsoft Executive Briefing Centre. The event is limited to 120 participants. Stay tuned, as the registration for the event will open in the second semester of 2025!
Webinars
Designing effective emergency messages: Tools and insights from the U.S. WEA system
26 August at 14:30 CEST
Join us for a webinar exploring how to create effective emergency messages through the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system in the United States. Drawing on over five decades of empirical research, Dr. Jeannette Sutton will walk us through essential strategies for delivering timely and actionable messages, whether for imminent threats, missing persons, or post-event notifications. The webinar will showcase tools, such as message templates, software, databases, and documentation, that support alert and warning providers in creating standardised, consistent, and clear communications. The latest innovations in public warning systems that aim to reduce delays in public response and improve outcomes in crisis situations will also be presented. If you work in public safety communications or emergency management, this session will give you concrete strategies and tools to improve how you design and deliver alerts.
Add the webinar to your calendar.
Are you interested in sharing your expertise in an EENA webinar? You can contact Sanna Antila at [email protected] to suggest topics you’d like to speak on in our upcoming webinars.
Emergency communications around the world
Early warning failure in Cyprus’ worst fire in decades
The Limassol wildfires, which were the worst in Cyprus in 20 years, killed two people and destroyed homes and farmland, prompting public criticism of the government’s response. The early warning system failed to activate, and evacuation guidance was described as unclear by locals. Officials admitted the system was due for replacement, but a cancelled contract in 2024 delayed the upgrade until at least 2026. President Nikos Christodoulides apologised publicly, while opposition parties called for resignations. Experts also criticised the slow request for EU assistance and the rejection of help from Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus. Cyprus is not part of the EU’s rescEU disaster response programme. The government has announced aid for victims and new prevention measures, with investigation reports due soon. Analysts warn climate-related disasters could cost Cyprus up to €18 billion by 2050.
Read the full article here (IFSJ).
Delivery issues reported in nationwide New Zealand emergency alerts
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed that a technical fault affected the delivery of nationwide emergency mobile alerts following a major earthquake in Russia that triggered hazardous coastal conditions in New Zealand. While an alert on 31 July warned of dangerous currents and surges, expected to remain a risk until at least 3 PM that day, some recipients received the message repeatedly, others did not receive it at all, and a number reported alerts disappearing before they could be read. NEMA attributed the issue to a system glitch and is working with telecommunications providers to identify and resolve the cause. Officials emphasised that mobile alerts remain a critical component of the national warning framework and defended the decision to issue multiple notifications, citing the need for timely and potentially life-saving public information.
Read the full article here (RNZ).
Major telecom outage disrupts emergency services in Luxembourg
On 23 July, a nationwide network failure at Post Luxembourg, the country’s largest telecom provider, caused major disruptions to phone and internet services for over three hours. The outage temporarily made the 112 emergency number inaccessible for Post customers, prompting authorities to issue a Lu-Alert to all mobile phones in Luxembourg and advise callers to use other networks or go directly to fire stations. Police services were also affected, with difficulties reaching the 113 emergency line. Alternative contact methods, including email and social media, were provided until services were restored. Luxembourg Airport experienced multiple delays and diversions due to communication issues. The cause of the outage remains unclear, with speculation ranging from an internal error to a cyberattack. A government crisis unit was convened to address the incident’s impact on public safety and critical infrastructure.
Read more here (Virgule, in French).
UK broadband provider fined over emergency caller location failure
Ofcom, the United Kingdom’s independent regulator for communications services, has fined rural fibre operator Gigaclear £122,500 for failing to provide accurate caller location data during 999 and 112 emergency calls between January 2022 and March 2024. The issue, caused by a misconfigured third-party system for VoIP calls, meant 948 emergency calls provided incorrect or no location information to responders. Gigaclear also failed to test the system or act on a related customer complaint. Although the company self-reported the fault in April 2024 and it had already been fixed, Ofcom stressed the seriousness of the breach, warning that accurate caller location can be life-saving. Gigaclear apologised, conducted a post-incident review, and stated that all emergency calls during the period were still connected successfully.
Read more here (The Register).
Seoul pilots AI callbot for 119 emergency services
The Seoul Metropolitan Government is testing Korea’s first AI-powered 119 emergency callbot, designed to speed up emergency response by handling reports without callers waiting on hold, even during disasters or peak demand. The AI system identifies urgent cases, connects them first to operators, and analyses overlapping calls to detect large-scale incidents early. Since its March pilot launch, it has processed 11,434 reports, with 2,250 classified as urgent. Capable of handling up to 240 waiting calls at once, the callbot is part of plans to build an AI disaster response information system by 2026. The project also marks Seoul’s first use of “high-impact AI” in public safety and includes trust verification to ensure safety and accountability ahead of Korea’s AI Framework Act coming into force next year.
Read more here (Seoul Metropolitan Government).
Upcoming in our network
Express your interest in joining the SUNSHINE training seminars: EU space solutions for disaster resilience
The SUNSHINE project, which is developed under the guidance of the European Commission’s DG DEFIS and in partnership with DG ECHO, is launching a series of training seminars designed to help professionals in this field use EU Space data and services to strengthen disaster resilience across Europe. Four multi-day in-person seminars will be held in 2025 and 2026, and the first one will take place in Tallinn, Estonia, from 24 to 27 November 2025.
If you work in civil protection, emergency management, or disaster risk reduction, this is your opportunity to express interest in joining the SUNSHINE training series. Take part to boost your skills, gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge EU Space tools, and help your organisation lead the way in using advanced technologies for disaster resilience.