Citizens across all European Union countries can now access emergency services by dialling 112, the single European emergency number.
The pan-European number became a reality in all EU states when Bulgaria became the last EU country to start providing the service.
Now that 112 can be called from any phone in Bulgaria, it has achieved complete availability just before the Christmas period when thousands of people travel between EU countries.
"112 working everywhere in the EU is a nice present to all Europeans, and the timing is perfect: during the holiday season of hectic travel people will spend a lot of time in other EU countries. From now on I expect 112 to be an essential travel companion for holiday makers in every corner of the EU," said Viviane Redding, the EU Telecoms Commissioner.
Redding added: “There is still work to be done by the EU Member States, but the first target of having a single emergency number has been achieved.”
The single European emergency number 112 is now fully available in Bulgaria – following an infringement procedure launched by the Commission in October 2007.
In September 2008, the Commission referred the case to the European Court of Justice, but delayed by three months to allow Bulgaria to finalise its implementation plan. The Commission says it has since verified that, that 112, together with caller location – which allows emergency services to locate people when they dial the number – is now fully available in Bulgaria.
A similar action was also brought against Romania to make sure caller location services were in place. At the end of November, Romanian authorities confirmed that caller location information is available to emergency services for all calls made from mobile phones.
The European emergency number 112 was introduced in 1991 to complement national emergency numbers and make emergency services more accessible in all EU Member States. Since 1998, EU rules require Member States to ensure that all fixed and mobile phone users can call 112 free of charge.
Next steps for the development of the 112 number include 112 centres to be able to communicate with more than one language or have interpretation services available. Some 17 EU countries report they can currently handle calls in foreign EU languages
On 11 February 2009 the Commission is organising 112 European Day.