WRITTEN QUESTION E-2761/02

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(1 October 2002)

Subject: Languages used to answer 112 calls

In its answer to Written Question E-0176/02(1), the Commission indicates that EU law lays down no obligations as regards the languages operators use to answer 112 calls. In practice, operators answer in their country's official language(s) and, in nearly all Member States, in English too.

During a seminar held in Luxembourg on 10/11 May 2002 on the use of the emergency telephone number, it appeared that the ability to speak more than one language or rather the lack thereof of callers and operators was still causing problems. In instances where the caller and operator do not understand each other properly when emergency calls are made, much valuable time is lost.

One of the seminar's conclusions was that it would desirable for the Member States to take the requisite measures to ensure that 112 calls were answered in at least the eleven official languages of the European Union. The proposals put forward with a view to meeting this requirement ranged from the use of commercial translation services to automatic translation.

At a meeting held on 8 and 9 March 2002 in Rosersberg, Sweden, to discuss the efficient response to emergency calls, Lars Hedström, Head of the Swedish Rescue Services Agency, also referred to the language aspect with regard to 112 calls. The establishment of a network of national call centres and a contactable switchboard in every Member State capable of giving appropriate assistance was just one of the possible solutions to the language problem.

Is the Commission aware that language problems occur when callers dial the 112 emergency number in Europe and that such problems may result in valuable time being wasted in emergency situations? If so, will it seek solutions thereto in whatever way so that the 112 switchboards are able to answer callers in at least the eleven official languages of the European Union? If not, why not?

(1) OJ C 172 E, 18.7.2002, p. 164.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(14 November 2002)

In its answer to Written Question No 0176/02 by the Honourable Member, the Commission indicated that operators answered calls in the official language or languages of their country as well as, in almost all the Member States, in English.

The Commission is of course in favour of developing the language skills of emergency call operators, and is aware that language problems can in some cases affect the speed and quality of the emergency response. However, it believes the cost of training such operators to be able to answer calls in all eleven EU languages would be disproportionate to the results. In practice, it would certainly be desirable for operators to develop skills in the Union's most widely spoken languages in addition to English. It is vital that emergency call centres be located near to the sources of 112 calls so that operators can respond appropriately and rapidly to requests for assistance, and this inevitably limits the options for centralising calls at national level, for instance.

Also, the Commission is not convinced of the usefulness of automated answering systems, on two grounds. Firstly, the current technology can in no way guarantee a reliable and rapid response: voice recognition systems, for instance, are far from being sufficiently developed to take over the operator's role. Secondly, the Commission believes human operators are central to the system: anyone dialling 112 would prefer to speak to a person rather than a machine, especially in the emergency situations which are the subject of 112 calls.