WRITTEN QUESTION E-2773/03 by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission. Rules governing the staffing of emergency call centres in EU countries.
Date: 2003-09-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Italy, competence of the Member States, first aid, language teaching, police, professional qualifications, transport accident

20.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 70 E/139

it should be underlined that measures taken by public undertakings which result in the
Furthermore,
granting of a financial advantage, must be imputable to the State to be considered as State aid. The fact
that OSE is an undertaking under State control is not, by itself, sufficient for measures taken by that
undertaking to be imputed to the State.

While the information provided by the Honourable Member is not sufficient to conclude on the State aid
relevance of his question, the Commission takes note of the concerns raised therein.

The second question of the Honourable Member does not seem to raise any issue of compatibility
2.
with Community law. By contrast, a clause which excludes the possibility of Hellenic Shipyards to place
orders with foreign companies, might be deemed contrary to Community law.

(2004/C 70 E/142)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2773/03

by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission

(16 September 2003)

Subject: Rules governing the staffing of emergency call centres in EU countries

During a holiday in Italy a Danish motorist was run into by an Italian lorry on a motorway. Afterwards,
the lorry driver refused to stop on the side of the road and instead drove off. The Danish motorist then
tried to contact the Italian police by dialling 113 but there was no-one who could understand either
English or German. After four calls the motorist in question had to abandon the attempt to contact the
police. The Danish motorist survived this experience without physical injury but things could have been
much worse.

Will the Commission state what rules exist governing the staffing of emergency call centres in the Member
States with persons speaking other languages than that of the country in question? Will it also state
whether it feels it is acceptable that citizens from another EU country cannot make contact with the police
owing to a lack of language skills on the part of the staff at the host country’s emergency call centre?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(24 October 2003)

The Commission’s role in the field of police cooperation in the Union is laid down by Article 30 of the
Treaty on European Union, which sets out the areas covered by common action taken by the Member
States. The rules and internal organisation of the emergency services is the sole responsibility of the
Member States. Under Article 33, the Member States are responsible for the maintenance of law and order
and the safeguarding of internal security.

There are no Community rules that govern relations between staff in the emergency services in the
Member States and persons who do not speak the language of the country. Nevertheless, the Commission
feels that if national police officers are familiar with one or more foreign languages so as to handle
contacts with citizens of other countries, that is an important factor in establishing an area of freedom,
security and justice. The Community financing programme, AGIS, has taken this matter into account and
some of its funds are set aside for projects to improve the ability of police forces to meet the challenges of
this new European area. The European Police College (Cepol) is also encouraging language learning in
training of police officers.