The European Commission (EC) has released the results of a Eurobarometer survey on the European emergency number (112), carried out between 7 and 11 January 2008, among the twenty-seven Member States of the European Union (EU).
According to the survey, only 22 per cent of EU citizens could spontaneously identify 112 as the number to call for emergency services anywhere in the EU. This percentage, which is 21 per cent in Portugal, varies from 56 percent in Poland to just 4 per cent in Greece. The results of the survey also reveal that 95 per cent of citizens concurred with the usefulness of having an emergency number available anywhere in the EU, and that a quarter of all respondents - 29 per cent in Portugal - have had to use an emergency number in the last five years.
Following the enquiry, the EU requested that Member States intensify the drive to publicise the 112 number, whose efficient functioning constitutes a fundamental tool for ensuring the safety of citizens.
The 112 number was introduced in 1991 with the aim of providing a single number for emergency calls across all Member States, making the emergency services more accessible, especially for travellers. Community legislation has been place since 1998, requiring Member States to ensure that all final users of fixed and mobile services have free access to the emergency services using the 112 number.
Further information:
- Flash Eurobarometer - The european emergency number 112 http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ecomm/doc/current/executivesummary.pdf
- Telecoms: EU citizens need to be better informed about Europe's single emergency number 112 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/198&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=pt
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- 4. Emergency telephone number - 112 https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=333181
