Today is 112 Day: the annual day dedicated to raising awareness of the single European emergency number, 112.
Europe is proud to come together to celebrate European 112 Day and raise awareness of 112, the European emergency number. Many citizens are unaware of the immense number of actors it takes to provide a continuous, effective, and efficient 112 service: 112 Day is dedicated to recognising the work of all those who contribute to the European emergency services chain. Countries across Europe and beyond participate with open doors activities, award ceremonies and awareness campaigns: find out what your country is doing here.
This year, EENA intends to step back and reflect on the overall progresses in several aspects of emergency communications handling in the European Union through our 112 Day Report. Through the lens of public safety, EENA offers a series of recommendations on how advances in information and communication technologies can be used to offer citizens the best possible help in an emergency.
Celebrating Progress; Identifying Improvement
EENA’s 112 Day Report provides information and recommendations on where emergency communications stakeholders can improve emergency communication, including: continuous access to 112, mobile caller location, means of access for people with disabilities, Next Generation 112, public warning, automated external defibrillator (AED) mapping, EU-level coordination, interoperability, eCall, false calls, breaches of EU legislation and general EU citizen 112 awareness.
As explored in the report, a combination of rapidly developing technology and updates to EU legislation present challenges, but also ample opportunity to increase public safety. It is imperative that all stakeholders – be it EU Member States, public authorities, EU institutions or mobile network operators – play their part in ensuring a smooth transition to the 112 of the future. Coordination at an EU level is the most efficient way forward, and necessary to ensure that citizens enjoy equal levels of safety across the EU. EENA is, of course, ready to contribute to this.
112 Statistics at a Glance*
- 112 is the European emergency number, available free of charge, 24/7, anywhere in the EU.
- Over 153 million calls were placed to 112 in 2021, a 3% increase on 2020. 78% of these calls were made by mobile phone.
- 421,000 of these 112 calls were eCalls – the emergency call service that notifies the emergency services in case of a road accident through technology fitted into vehicles.
- 1.5 million calls to 112 were made by roamers – international visitors to EU countries.
Find out more about 112 Day here.
Access our 112 Day report here.
*112 implementation report, https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/2022-report-implementation-112-eu-emergency-number