10/07/2026 Brussels, Belgium
During the summer, millions of Europeans travel across the EU. In the event of an emergency, they expect calling 112 to provide the same level of protection wherever they are. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
The European Electronic Communications Code (EECC), adopted in 2018, introduced mandatory requirements to improve emergency communications across Europe. Years after the legal deadlines, several Member States remain in breach of EU law.
One of the most important pieces of information available to emergency call takers is the caller’s location. Accurate location information helps emergency services find people faster, reducing response times and ultimately saving lives. This is particularly important for travellers, who may not know their exact location in an unfamiliar area. Advanced Mobile Location (AML), which automatically transmits a caller’s location to emergency services, has been mandatory since December 2020. Nevertheless, Poland, Malta and Cyprus still have not implemented AML.
The situation is similar for public warning systems. Recent natural disasters and other crises have demonstrated the importance of being able to warn the population of imminent threats fast. Mobile-based public warning systems, capable of reaching people directly without requiring them to download an application, have been mandatory since June 2022. Yet Finland, Slovakia, Ireland and Cyprus still do not comply with this legal requirement, leaving both residents and travellers without the level of protection required by EU law.
These are not recommendations – they are legal obligations. Still, travellers continue to receive different levels of protection depending on where they are in Europe. Most people assume emergency communications work the same way across the EU, without realising that the technologies required by European legislation may not be available in every Member State.
There is an even more basic problem. As 2G and 3G networks are switched off and emergency calls come to rely on newer network generations, the ability to reach 112 at all is no longer guaranteed — particularly for travellers roaming abroad, whose phone may work for ordinary calls yet fail to connect to emergency services. Articles 108 and 109 of the EECC require uninterrupted access to 112, and in June 2026 BEREC confirmed that operators must ensure this continuity throughout the phase-out. The obligation exists today; meeting it in practice does not.
EENA calls on the remaining non-compliant Member States to fulfil their legal obligations without further delay. The European Commission has allowed these failures to persist for years by failing to enforce EU legislation. It must now act against non-compliant Member States — and treat the erosion of basic access to 112 during the 2G/3G switch-off as the urgent enforcement matter it is. EENA has repeatedly warned the Commission of this foreseeable risk to life; Europe should not wait for a fatal incident before acting.
Wherever Europeans choose to travel this summer, they should be able to contact 112 in case of emergency and rely on the same level of protection when they need it the most.
