112 boosted with the latest technology
A call to 112 may be boosted with the latest technology, not available 30 years ago. The Commission supports the technological upgrade of emergency communications. For example, the implementation of Advanced Mobile Location, or AML, was financed in 10 Member States through the HELP112 and HELP112 II projects. In 10 years, AML could potentially save more than 10,000 lives in the EU.
Accurately detecting the caller’s location and quickly sending it to emergency services could contribute to save the time it takes to intervene in such precious moments. When a caller dials 112 from their smartphone, AML uses the phone’s integrated functionalities and data from the EU’s Galileo satellite navigation system, to accurately pinpoint the caller’s location and transmit it to emergency services. AML is available in 19 Member States, Iceland and Norway. The Commission urges Member States to quickly implement this life-saving technology, in line with the European Electronic Communications Code. In order to ensure the right technical conditions for accurate and quick location detection in emergency situation, the Commission adopted a Delegated regulation, which will apply from 22 March 2022. Smartphone manufacturers will be obliged to ensure that data from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), at least from EU’s Galileo, and that data from Wi-Fi, are made available in emergency communications. This will ensure that the caller is accurately and quickly located.
Ensuring Europeans feel confident they can easily reach emergency services anywhere in the EU is key in enabling effective emergency communications. The Commission continues to closely monitor the implementation of 112 in Member States, through regular reports.