Brussels, February 11, 2014

To the attention of: Ms. Neelie Kroes Vice-President of the European Commission

Subject:

European emergency number 112

Dear Vice-President,

On the occasion of 112 Day, we have been reflecting on the current implementation and status of 112 across Europe under your mandate. To this end, we are writing an open letter to you to outline our ongoing concerns, which follow on from the numerous letters that have been exchanged since you took charge of the 112 topic in 2009. In overall terms, we have found your achievements on 112 to be very disappointing. Frankly, we cannot point out to any accomplishments that are meaningful or of any real value to our citizens. Concerning the matter of 112 awareness, we have repeatedly asked you to make a concerted effort to ensure that the number is widely understood by our citizens and to support the Member States to promote it. We cannot find any evidence that you have acceded to our request. Furthermore, we are astonished to recently discover that the Eurobarometer study, compiled under your authority, has been cancelled for this year. With respect to the topic of caller location for 112 calls, we note your previous stated position and acknowledgment of the importance of caller location as a very important element of a wellfunctioning emergency access. However, since the Directive was published in 2009 and specifically Article 26.5, there have been no accuracy or reliability targets published and no technical implementing measures by the European Commission as provided for in Article 26.7. We have repeatedly asked you to take the necessary implementing steps to but you have refused to do so. In fact, we recently learned about the tragic plane crash in Romania1 where undoubtedly lives could have been saved if there was accurate caller location information available to the rescue services. Also, in Lithuania recently, a young girl was murdered after being beaten, raped and taken hostage in a car. She called the emergency number several times from the trunk of her captors' car but the police were unable to locate her position.2

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/romania-interior-minister-quits-over-crashrescue/2014/01/23/0b81703c-8426-11e3-a273-6ffd9cf9f4ba_story.html 2 http://rupaper.com/post/7846

On the organisation of 112 within the European Commission, we have repeatedly asked for your services to invest more resources into the topic and outlined our views that the frequency and impact of the EGEA working group, under your chairmanship, leaves a lot to be desired. However, you failed to do anything about it. We are dismayed to learn that there was in fact only one such EGEA meeting during the whole of 2013, which is less than the number of meetings held in 2012. Regarding the overall quality of the 112 service and setting of Key Performance Indicators via the COCOM report, we have repeatedly asked you to insist that the Member States provide comprehensive responses to the questionnaires. You have failed to do anything about it. Unfortunately, many of the Member States have ignored you and shown disdain for the exercise. At this time, the methodology, scope and effect of the KPIs are flawed as evidenced by your reports. It is also clear to us that more in fact could have been achieved during your time. Your predecessor, Commissioner Viviane Reding, to our knowledge brought 17 different infringement proceedings against various Member States related to the 112 topic. Madame Vice President, you brought just one. Has the previous mal-administration by the Member States suddenly improved when it comes to 112? Have the Member States all suddenly become compliant or have you, as Guardian of the Treaty, neglected to ensure the implementation of EU law and adopted a different policy to Ms Reding? In conclusion, as we recognise that your own tenure in charge of 112 is drawing to an end, we cannot but point out that the overall achievements of 112 whilst, under your directorship, have been disappointing. 112 should be highlighted as an example of how our citizens can benefit as a society from legislation and policies that come from Europe; we feel however that it this is a missed opportunity. We continue to be extremely supportive of 112 but remain frustrated by the lack of progress by you and your services on the topic. Waiting to read you soon, we remain,
Yours Sincerely,

Isabelle Durant

Bernadette Vergnaud

Marc Tarabella

Carlos Coelho