The European Emergency Number 112. Analytical report

Transcription

1 Flash Eurobarometer 314 The Gallup Organization Gallup 2 Flash Eurobarometer N o 189a EU communication and the citizens Flash Eurobarometer European Commission The European Emergency Number 112 Analytical report Wave 4 Fieldwork: January 2011 Publication: February 2011 This survey was requested by Directorate-General for Information Society and Media and coordinated by Directorate-General Communication This document does not represent the point of view of the European Commission. The interpretations and opinions contained in it are solely those of the authors. Analytical Report, page 1

2 Flash Eurobarometer Series #314 The European Emergency Number 112 Survey conducted by The Gallup Organization Hungary upon the request of Directorate- General for Information Society and Media Coordinated by Directorate-General Communication This document does not reflect the views of the European Commission. The interpretations and opinions contained in it are solely those of the authors. THE GALLUP ORGANIZATION

3 Analytical report Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Table of Contents Table of Contents... 3 Introduction... 4 Main findings Usefulness of the European emergency number Usefulness of the European emergency number Access to emergency services via 112 for users with a disability Information about the European emergency number Adequacy of information about the European emergency number Receiving information about the European emergency number Information sources about the European emergency number Information about 112 received when travelling in another EU country Knowledge of the European emergency number Calling the emergency services from within one s own country Calling the emergency services from another EU country Usage of the European emergency number Usage of 112 vs. usage of national emergency numbers Variations in usage of the EU-wide emergency number I. Annex Tables II. Survey details III. Questionnaire page 3

4 Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Analytical report Introduction The single European emergency number 112 was introduced to enable citizens to call the emergency services (i.e. police, fire and ambulance) by using the same number from anywhere in the EU 1. This is particularly important as European citizens are increasingly travelling to other EU countries for work, study or leisure. Since the end of 2008, all EU Member States have ensured that anyone can call the emergency services from fixed and mobile phones by using the 112 number. National differences in the availability of emergency numbers Before 112 became the European emergency number, it had already served for several decades as an emergency number in some EU Member States; for example, for the German fire brigade and for the Italian police forces. Nevertheless, for most Member States, 112 was a new emergency number and its introduction led to different situations in the various Member States, as follows: a) 112 is the sole/main emergency number In some Member States, 112 has become the main national emergency number, promoted as the number to contact all emergency services (i.e. police, fire and ambulance). Countries where this is the case include Denmark, the Netherlands and Romania. However, some other prior (legacy) 2 national numbers may still link callers to the emergency services. b) 112 operates alongside other emergency numbers Most Member States, however, have decided to introduce 112 as a number that will work alongside their national emergency numbers. Both 112 and such national numbers are presented as numbers to call in order to contact some or all emergency services. In the UK, for example, citizens can either call 112 or the national number 999 in the case of an emergency. Purpose of the Flash Eurobarometer survey on The European Emergency Number 112 This Flash Eurobarometer survey on The European Emergency Number 112 (N o 314), requested by the Directorate-General for Information Society and Media is part of a trend survey. The results of previous waves were published in 2008, 2009 and 2010 Flash Eurobarometer surveys N o 228, N o 262 and N o 285, respectively. Although the current Flash Eurobarometer (N o 314) builds on these earlier surveys, the questionnaire has been re-designed. Wherever possible, comparative data between the four waves will be presented. The report deals with the following aspects relating to the European emergency number 112: opinions about: a) the usefulness of the European emergency number 112 and b) whether access to 112 for people with disabilities is adequate opinions concerning the level of information about the European emergency number 112, and details about the actual information received about 112 and other national emergency numbers knowledge of 112 as an emergency number available from within one s own country and when travelling to other EU countries usage of the European emergency number 112 (vs. usage of other national emergency numbers). 1 Council Decision of July 29, 1991 (91/396/EEC) and Universal Service Directive of March 7, 2002 (Directive 2002/22/EC), amended by Directive 2009/136/EC, of 25 November It is assumed that these prior (legacy) emergency numbers are no longer publicly advertised for that purpose but are only kept in operation for reasons of public safety. page 4

5 Analytical report Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Methodological note on the survey The survey s fieldwork was carried out between 3 and 7 January Over 40,500 randomly selected EU citizens, aged 15 years and above, were interviewed in the EU s 27 Member States. Interviews were predominantly carried out via fixed-line telephones, with approximately 1,500 in each of the Member States. To correct sampling disparities, a post-stratification weighting of the results was implemented, based on important socio-demographic variables. More details on the survey methodology are included in the Annex of this report. Note that due to rounding, the percentages shown in the charts and tables in the Annex do not always add up exactly to the totals mentioned in the text. page 5

6 Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Analytical report Main findings Usefulness of the European emergency number 112 More than 9 in 10 (96%) EU citizens thought that it was very useful to have a European emergency number available throughout the EU (83% totally agreed and 13% tended to agree). Almost 9 in 10 (87%) interviewees also agreed that that their country s authorities should do more to make it easier for disabled users to contact the emergency services by calling 112 (66% totally agreed and 21% tended to agree). The proportion of respondents who totally agreed with the statement about the usefulness of the EU-wide emergency number ranged from 69% in the UK to 97% in Malta. The proportion of respondents who totally agreed with the statement about access to the European emergency number 112 for disabled users ranged from 45% in Denmark to 94% in Cyprus. Comparing the current results to those of 2010, respondents were now more likely to totally agree, rather than tend to agree, with the statements as described above. Lithuania has seen the largest increase, from 2010 to 2011, in the proportion of respondents who totally agreed that having an EU-wide emergency number was very useful (+15 percentage points). For the statement about access to 112 for disabled users, Bulgaria joined Lithuania in having seen the largest increase in the proportion expressing strong agreement (both +16 points). Information about the European emergency number 112 Just over a third of EU citizens agreed that people in their country were adequately informed about the existence of the European emergency number 112 (15% totally agreed and 20% tended to agree). Agreement with this statement has gradually increased from 27% in 2008 to 35% in 2011 (+8 percentage points). As in 2010, Luxembourg (70%), the Czech Republic (68%), Romania (64%) and Slovakia (59%) had majorities of respondents thinking that the available information about 112 was adequate. In 2011, these countries have been joined by Poland (54%) and Finland (52%). A comparison across the four waves showed that, in more than half of the EU countries, the current level of agreement was the highest measured since the first wave of this survey in The proportion of interviewees who agreed that people in their country were adequately informed about the European emergency number has increased by at least 19 percentage points in Bulgaria (from 21% in 2008 to 46% in 2011; +25 percentage points), Slovakia (from 36% to 59%; +23 points), Lithuania (from 28% to 50%; +22 points) and Romania (from 45% to 64%; +19 points). Slightly more than a quarter (27%) of EU citizens said they had heard about or seen information regarding the European emergency number 112 in their country during the past 12 months. Furthermore, among respondents who had travelled to another EU country during this time frame, 17% said they had received information about the possibility of using the 112 number in that country. While two-thirds of respondents in Slovakia (68%) and a slim majority of those in Finland, the Czech Republic, Romania and Lithuania (51%-56%) said they had received information about the European emergency number 112 in the past 12 months in their country, this proportion was just 8% in Italy and 10% in the UK. Of those who have seen/heard about the European emergency number 112 in their country, a large majority named media outlets as their source of information; they had learned about the 112 number by watching television (61%), reading newspapers (23%), listening to the radio (16%) or surfing the Internet (11%). page 6

7 Analytical report Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Knowledge of the European emergency number 112 The current survey results showed that EU citizens remained relatively unfamiliar with the European emergency number 112: only about a quarter (26%) of respondents could spontaneously identify 112 as the number to call for emergency services from anywhere in the EU. Awareness of 112 as an EU-wide emergency number has slowly increased from 22% in 2008 to this current figure in 2011 (+4 percentage points). In five countries, a majority of respondents spontaneously identified 112 as the number to call for emergency services from anywhere in the EU: Luxembourg (63%), the Czech Republic (59%), Slovakia (57%), Finland (56%) and Poland (54%). As in previous waves, respondents in Greece (6%), Italy (7%), the UK (8%) and Cyprus (9%) were the least likely to be aware of 112 s EU-wide functionality. In three countries, knowledge of 112 as the European emergency number has increased by at least five percentage points from 2010 to 2011: Austria (from 31% to 39%; +8 points), Finland (from 50% to 56%; +6 points) and the Netherlands (from 45% to 50%; +5 points). Respondents who knew that 112 was a national emergency number to call for urgent situations in their own country did not necessarily know that this number was the European emergency number to call from anywhere in the EU. As in 2010, just 4 in 10 respondents who would call 112 in the event of an emergency in their own country also knew that this number could be used in all other EU countries. There was a strong correlation at a country level between the proportion of respondents who knew that 112 could be used to reach the emergency services from anywhere in the EU and the proportion who had received information about the EU-wide emergency number. Usage of the European emergency number 112 A sixth of EU citizens reported that they had called an emergency number in the past 12 months. The proportion of respondents who had called an emergency service during that time frame ranged from less than a tenth in Malta and Slovenia (8%-9%) to more than a quarter in Latvia and Estonia (26%-27%). In countries where 112 operates alongside other national emergency numbers, the proportion of respondents who had called the EU-wide emergency number 112 during an emergency situation in their own country in the past 12 months was somewhat lower than the proportion who had called a national emergency number (7% and 10%, respectively). Furthermore, in this group of countries, the proportion of respondents who had called the 112 number was the highest in Luxembourg (84%); in the UK and France, however, less than 10% of respondents had called this number. In all countries where 112 was the sole/main emergency number, a large majority of interviewees had called this number during an emergency situation in the past 12 months (from 77% in Portugal and Denmark to 95% in Romania). page 7

8 Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Analytical report 1. Usefulness of the European emergency number 112 This first chapter analyses the opinions of EU citizens about the usefulness of the European emergency number 112 and about its accessibility for people with disabilities. In order to do this, two statements about the 112 number were presented to interviewees asking them whether they agreed or disagreed with each one. More than 9 in 10 (96%) EU citizens agreed that it was very useful to have a European emergency number available throughout the EU: 83% totally agreed that it was very useful to have such a number, while 13% tended to agree. Very few respondents were sceptical about the advantages of an EU-wide emergency number (2% either tended to disagree or totally disagreed). Almost 9 in 10 (87%) EU citizens also agreed that that their country s authorities should do more to make it easier for disabled users to contact the emergency services by calling 112, for example by providing specially-adapted phones. About two-thirds (66%) of respondents totally agreed, and about a fifth (21%) tended to agree, that accessibility of 112 for disabled users should be improved. About 1 in 20 (6%) respondents disagreed with this proposition. Opinions about the European emergency number It is very useful to have an EU-wide emergency number available everywhere in the European Union [COUNTRY] should do more to make it easier for disabled users to contact the emergency services via 112, such as by providing adapted phones Totally agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Totally disagree DK/NA Q6 a/c (2011)/Q4 a/c ( ). Please tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with the following statements %, Base: all respondents, EU27 Compared to earlier waves, last year s results had shown a small decrease in the proportion of respondents who totally agreed that having an EU-wide emergency number was very useful or that it should be made easier for people with a disability to call 112 in case of an emergency. Comparing the current results to those of 2010, however, it was noted that respondents were again more likely to totally agree, rather than tend to agree, with the statements as described above. For example, in 2008 and 2009, 80% of respondents totally agreed it was very useful to have a European emergency number available throughout the EU; this proportion had decreased to 77% in 2010 (-3 percentage points compared to 2008/09), but has increased again to 83% in 2011 (+6 percentage points compared to 2010). page 8

9 MT CY BE FI LU PT NL SE DE EE IE DK AT IT HU BG ES SI EU27 SK RO CZ PL LV EL LT FR UK Analytical report Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number Usefulness of the European emergency number 112 The overall level of agreement (i.e. the sum of totally agree and tend to agree responses) for the statement that having a European emergency number was very useful ranged from 89% in Latvia to 99% in Finland. The proportion of respondents who were sceptical about the usefulness of having such a number (i.e. they disagreed with the statement) remained below 5% in all countries except Latvia and the UK. In eight EU countries, more than 90% of respondents totally agreed that it was very useful to have a European emergency number available throughout the EU (from 91% in Sweden to 97% in Malta). As in previous surveys, respondents in the UK were the least likely to totally agree that it was very useful to have such a number (69% vs. an EU average of 83%). Nonetheless, an increase was seen in the proportion of totally agree responses in that country: in earlier waves, 60%-62% of British respondents had totally agreed with this statement; in 2011, this proportion has increased to 69%. Opinions about the European emergency number 112: It is very useful to have an EU-wide emergency number available everywhere in the EU Totally agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree/totally disagree DK/NA Q6 a. Please tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with the following statements %, Base: all respondents, by country Not only the UK but also many other countries saw an increase in the proportion of respondents who totally agreed that it was very useful to have a European emergency number available throughout the EU. Lithuania saw the largest increase, from 2010 to 2011, in the proportion of respondents who totally agreed that having an EU-wide emergency number was very useful. In 2010, 63% of Lithuanian respondents totally agreed with the proposal; in 2011, this proportion has increased to 78% (+15 percentage points). The proportion of interviewees who totally agreed that it was very useful to have an EU-wide emergency number has also increased by roughly 10 percentage points in Belgium (from 83% in 2010 to 94% in 2011; +11 points), Estonia (from 78% to 89%; +11 points), Ireland (from 77% to 88%; +11 points), Bulgaria (from 76% to 85%; +9 points), Spain (from 75% to 84%; +9 points) and the Czech Republic (from 70% to 79%; +9 points). page 9

10 Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Analytical report Socio-demographic considerations Across all socio-demographic groups, between 91% and 98% of respondents tended to agree or totally agreed that it was very useful to have a European emergency number available throughout the EU. As in previous surveys, older interviewees (over 54), inactive respondents and those with an impairment 3 were the least likely to agree with this proposition. Focusing solely on the proportions of totally agree responses, it was noted that year-olds and employees were the most likely to express strong agreement; across both groups, 87% of respondents totally agreed that it was very useful to have an EU-wide emergency number (compared to, for example, 80% of the over 54 year-olds and 79% of inactive respondents). Opinions about 112: It is very useful to have an EU-wide emergency number available everywhere in the EU By socio-demographics % Totally agree % Tend to agree % Agree (total) % Tend to disagree % Totally disagree % Disagree (total) % DK/NA SEX Male Female AGE URBANISATION Metropolitan Urban Rural OCCUPATION Self-employed Employee Manual worker Not working IMPAIRMENT Any impairment No impairment Q6a. Please tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with the following statements... %, Base: all respondents, by socio-demographics 3 Respondents were asked if they had an impairment that had a substantial effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. page 10

11 CY MT EL BG PT HU RO IT ES LV IE EE BE LT LU EU27 PL SI DE FR UK FI AT SK SE CZ NL DK Analytical report Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number Access to emergency services via 112 for users with a disability In all EU countries, two-thirds or more interviewees totally agreed or tended to agree that their country should do more to make it easier for individuals with a disability to contact the emergency services via the 112 number; the total level of agreement ranged from 67% in Denmark to 98% in Cyprus. Respondents in Cyprus were also the most likely to totally agree that disabled users should have improved access to the 112 number in their country (94%); in Denmark and the Netherlands, less than half of interviewees totally agreed (45% and 49%, respectively). Respondents in the Netherlands (15%), Germany and Austria (both 11%) were the most likely to totally disagree, or tend to disagree, that it should be made easier for people with a disability to call 112 in case of an emergency. In all other countries, less than 1 in 10 respondents disagreed with this proposition. As in earlier waves, in many countries, a considerable number of respondents did not express an opinion about this topic; the proportions of don t know answers were highest in Denmark (24%), Sweden (15%), the Netherlands and the Czech Republic (both 13%). Opinions about the European emergency number 112: [COUNTRY] should do more to make it easier for disabled users to contact the emergency services via 112 Totally agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree/totally disagree DK/NA Q6 c. Please tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with the following statements %, Base: all respondents, by country A comparison of the results of the current survey with those of 2010 primarily showed minor differences in the proportion of respondents who totally agreed or tended to agree that disabled users needed improved access to the European emergency number 112. Nonetheless, in many countries, respondents were now more likely to totally agree, rather than tend to agree, that such an improvement was required. For example, the proportion of interviewees who totally agreed that their country s authorities should do more to make it easier for disabled users to contact the emergency services by calling 112 has increased by more than 10 percentage points in Bulgaria (from 71% in 2010 to 87% in 2011; +16 percentage points), Lithuania (from 51% to 67%; +16 points) and Luxembourg (55% to 66%; +11 points). page 11

12 Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Analytical report Socio-demographic considerations When comparing perceptions about the accessibility of the European emergency number 112 for people with disabilities, it was mostly small differences that were seen between socio-demographic groups. The largest differences in the total level of agreement were between occupational groups: 92% of manual workers and 89% of inactive respondents totally agreed or tended to agree that their country s authorities should do more to make it easier for disabled users to contact the emergency services by calling 112; the corresponding proportions for employees and self-employed respondents were 86% and 84%, respectively. Manual workers were also more likely to totally agree that that accessibility of 112 for disabled users should be improved in their country (70% vs. 63%-64% of the self-employed and employees). Other groups that were somewhat more likely to express strong agreement were women (69% vs. 63% of men), the over 54 year-olds (69% vs. 62% of year-olds) and respondents with an impairment (71% vs. 66% of those without an impairment). Opinions about 112: [COUNTRY] should do more to make it easier for disabled users to contact the emergency services via 112, such as by providing adapted phones By socio-demographics % Totally agree % Tend to agree % Agree (total) % Tend to disagree % Totally disagree % Disagree (total) % DK/NA SEX Male Female AGE URBANISATION Metropolitan Urban Rural OCCUPATION Self-employed Employee Manual worker Not working IMPAIRMENT Any impairment No impairment Q6c. Please tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with the following statements... %, Base: all respondents, by socio-demographics page 12

13 Analytical report Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number Information about the European emergency number 112 According to EU legislation, it is the responsibility of individual Member States to inform citizens about the existence and usage of the European emergency number 112. Moreover, as from July 2009, telecommunications providers have been obliged to send a text message with information about 112 to people using their mobile phones when they visit another EU country 4. This survey investigated opinions about the adequacy of information about the existence of the European emergency number 112. In addition, it asked whether respondents had seen any information or heard about this EU-wide number in their country and investigated the sources of such information. Finally, in the current survey, a new question was added asking respondents whether they had received any information about the possibility of using the European emergency number 112 when travelling in another EU country. 2.1 Adequacy of information about the European emergency number 112 Just over a third (35%) of EU citizens agreed that people in their country were adequately informed about the existence of the European emergency number 112 (15% totally agreed and 20% tended to agree). Agreement with this statement has gradually increased from 27% in 2008 to this current figure (+8 percentage points). Nonetheless, there was still a majority of interviewees (58%) who disagreed that people in their country were adequately informed about the existence of 112: 26% totally disagreed that information about the 112 number was adequate, while a further 32% tended to disagree. Opinions about the European emergency number 112 In [COUNTRY], people are adequately informed about the existence of the European emergency number Totally agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Totally disagree DK/NA Q6 b (2011)/Q4 b ( ). Please tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with the following statements %, Base: all respondents, EU27 4 Regulation (EC) No 544/2009 of the European Parliament and the Council of 18 June 2009 page 13

14 LU CZ RO SK PL FI LT NL BG EE ES LV SI SE MT EU27 PT BE AT DE DK HU FR IT IE UK EL CY Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Analytical report Individual country results showed a large variation in the proportions of respondents who agreed or, alternatively, disagreed that people in their country were adequately informed about the European emergency number 112. As in previous years, Luxembourgish respondents (70%) were the most likely to totally agree or tend to agree with the statement that information about the 112 number was adequate. In a further five countries, a majority of respondents agreed with this statement: the Czech Republic (68%), Romania (64%), Slovakia (59%), Poland (54%) and Finland (52%). Furthermore, the highest proportions of respondents who totally agreed that people in their country were adequately informed about the existence of 112 were seen in Luxembourg (39%) and Romania (36%); in all other countries less than a third expressed strong agreement (from 8% in France to 28% in the Czech Republic). The highest levels of disagreement, on the other hand, were seen in Cyprus (75%), the UK (74%) and Ireland (73%). Cypriots were also the most prone to totally disagree that information about the European emergency number was adequate (54%); the corresponding proportions in Ireland and the UK were somewhat smaller (48% and 49%, respectively). Opinions about the European emergency number 112: In [COUNTRY], people are adequately informed about the existence of the European emergency number 112 Totally agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Totally disagree DK/NA Q6b. Please tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with the following statements %, Base: all respondents, by country page 14

15 SE MT PT BE AT DE DK HU FR IT IE UK EL CY EU27 LU CZ RO SK PL FI LT NL BG EE ES LV SI Analytical report Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 It was noted above that, at the EU level, agreement with the statement that information about the 112 number was adequate has gradually increased from 27% in 2008 to 35% in 2011 (+8 percentage points). An increasing trend in the level of agreement was also seen in many individual country results; furthermore, in more than half of the countries, the current level of agreement was the highest measured since the first wave of this survey (in 2008). For example, in 2008, 21% of Bulgarian respondents totally agreed or tended to agree that people in their country were adequately informed about the 112 number; in 2011, this proportion has increased to 46% (+25 percentage points). The proportion of interviewees who agreed with this proposition has also increased by roughly 20 percentage points in Slovakia (from 36% in 2008 to 59% in 2010; +23 points), Lithuania (from 28% to 50%; +22 points) and Romania (from 45% to 64%; +19 points). A few countries, however, have seen a decrease in the proportion of respondents who agreed about the adequacy of information about the 112 number. For example, in 2008, 38% of respondents in Sweden totally agreed or tended to agree that people in their country were adequately informed; this proportion increased to 48% in 2010, but decreased again to 37% in 2011 (-11 percentage points compared to 2010). Opinions about the European emergency number 112: In [COUNTRY], people are adequately informed about the existence of the European emergency number Q6b. Please tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with the following statements % totally agree and tend to agree, Base: all respondents, by country Socio-demographic considerations About a third of year-olds (32%-35%) tended to agree or totally agreed that people in their country were adequately informed about the EU-wide emergency number; the corresponding proportions for year-olds and the over 54 year-olds were 41% and 37%, respectively. Note that the latter respondents were also more likely to give a don t know response (11% vs. 2% of year-olds and 4%-5% of year-olds). page 15

16 Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Analytical report Manual workers were the most likely to agree that people in their country were adequately informed about the European emergency number 112: 42%, in total, agreed with the statement, compared to 30%-31% of self-employed respondents and employees; the corresponding proportion for inactive respondents was 39% (note that the latter were again more likely to give a don t know response). About 6 in 10 (59%) respondents without an impairment tended to disagree or totally disagreed that people in their country were adequately informed about the EU-wide emergency number; this proportion dropped to 52% for respondents with an impairment. The latter group of respondents more frequently said they totally agreed with the proposition (19% vs. 15% for respondents without an impairment), but they were also more likely not to express an opinion (11% vs. 6%). Finally, respondents living in metropolitan areas were somewhat less likely than their counterparts in urban and rural areas to tend to agree or totally agree that information about 112 was adequate in their country (33% vs. 36%). Opinions about 112: In [COUNTRY], people are adequately informed about the existence of the European emergency number 112 By socio-demographics % Totally agree % Tend to agree % Agree (total) % Tend to disagree % Totally disagree % Disagree (total) % DK/NA SEX Male Female AGE URBANISATION Metropolitan Urban Rural OCCUPATION Self-employed Employee Manual worker Not working IMPAIRMENT Any impairment No impairment Q6b. Please tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with the following statements... %, Base: all respondents, by socio-demographics page 16

17 SK LT RO CZ FI PL LV EE MT BG AT NL ES BE SI LU PT FR EU27 HU SE DE DK CY EL IE UK IT Analytical report Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number Receiving information about the European emergency number 112 Despite the fact that individual Member States are obliged to inform their citizens about the existence of the European emergency number 112, this survey showed that 71% of EU citizens had not heard about or seen information regarding the 112 number in their country during the 12 months prior to the survey (66% had heard nothing at all about emergency numbers and 5% had only been informed about national emergency numbers). 5 Slightly more than a quarter (27%) of interviewees said they Information about the European emergency number 112 and other (national) emergency numbers 66 had received information or had heard about the European emergency number 112 in their country in the past 12 months: 22% had received information about 112 and an additional 5% had been informed about this EU-wide number and other national emergency numbers. Once again, large variations were observed between EU countries in the proportion of respondents who said they had received information about the European emergency number 112 in their country. While more than two-thirds of respondents in Slovakia (68%) and a slim majority of those in Finland, the Czech Republic, Romania and Lithuania (51%-56%) said they had received information about this number in the past 12 months in their country, this proportion was just 10% in the UK and 8% in Italy Yes, regarding 112 Yes, about both (112 and other (national) emergency numbers) Yes, regarding other (national) emergency numbers No DK/NA Q4A. During the last 12 months, have you seen or heard any information regarding the European emergency number 112 in [COUNTRY]? And have you seen or heard any information about other emergency number(s) in [COUNTRY]? %, Base: all respondents, EU27 Information about the European emergency number Q4A. During the last 12 months, have you seen or heard any information regarding the European emergency number 112 in [COUNTRY]? And have you seen or heard any information about other emergency number(s) in [COUNTRY]? Base: all respondents % Yes, regarding 112 and Yes, about both, by country 5 Although respondents in earlier waves were also presented with a question about the receipt of information about the European emergency number 112, due to differences in the wording of the questions, the results of these questions cannot be compared across different waves/years. page 17

18 SK RO LT CZ FI PL LV EE MT BG AT NL ES BE SI LU PT FR EU27 HU SE DE DK CY EL IE UK IT Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Analytical report In nine EU countries, more than a tenth of respondents had been informed about other national emergency numbers in their country: 11% in Hungary, 12% in the Netherlands and Lithuania, 16% in Austria, Bulgaria and Latvia, 17% in France and Slovenia, and 22% in Poland. Nonetheless, in all countries, respondents were more likely to have received information about the European emergency number than they were about national emergency numbers. For example, in Lithuania, 47% of respondents had received information about 112 and an additional 9% had received information about this EU-wide number and other (national) emergency numbers; however, just 3% had only seen or heard information about national emergency numbers. Information about the European number 112 and other (national) emergency numbers Yes, regarding "112" Yes, about both Yes, regarding other (national) emergency numbers No DK/NA Q4A. During the last 12 months, have you seen or heard any information regarding the European emergency number 112 in [COUNTRY]? And have you seen or heard any information about other emergency number(s) in [COUNTRY]? %, Base: all respondents, by country page 18

19 Analytical report Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Socio-demographic considerations The following table shows that certain socio-demographic groups were somewhat more likely than their counterparts to say that they had received information or had heard about the European emergency number 112 in their country in the past 12 months. The highest rates of such answers were seen among metropolitan residents, employees and year-olds (31%-32%, vs. an EU average of 27%). These three groups were followed by the self-employed (30% vs. 26% of inactive respondents), year-olds (29% vs. 25% of the over 54 year-olds) and men (29% vs. 27% of women). Information about the European emergency number 112 and national emergency numbers By socio-demographics SEX % Yes, regarding 112 % Yes, regarding other (national) emergency numbers % Yes, about both % Yes, regarding 112 % Yes, regarding national emergency numbers Male Female AGE URBANISATION Metropolitan Urban Rural OCCUPATION Self-employed Employee Manual worker Not working IMPAIRMENT Any impairment No impairment Q4A. During the last 12 months, have you seen or heard any information regarding the European emergency number 112 in [COUNTRY]? And have you seen or heard any information about other emergency number(s) in [COUNTRY]? %, Base: all respondents, by socio-demographics (1%-3% DK/NA) % No page 19

20 Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Analytical report 2.3 Information sources about the European emergency number 112 This section about information sources concerning the European emergency number 112 focuses solely on respondents who reported that they had received information about the 112 number in their country in the 12 months prior to the survey. Most EU citizens, who had been informed about the 112 number in their country, said that this had been via a media outlet by watching television (61%), reading newspapers (23%), listening to the radio (16%) or surfing the Internet (11%). Source of information regarding the European emergency number 112 Television 61 Radio 16 Newspapers Internet Through an SMS from your telecommunications operator while roaming Through other means by your telecommunications operator (payphones, directories, bills) Other DK/NA Q4B. Where did you see/hear information regarding the European emergency number 112? %, Base: those who have seen/heard information regarding the European emergency number 112, EU27 A minority (5%) of interviewees said that they had been informed about the European emergency number 112 by their telecommunications provider; for example, they saw the number when using a payphone or read information about 112 on a telephone bill. An even smaller number of respondents (3%) said they had received a text message with information about this number while roaming. The next section presents a more detailed analysis of the proportion of EU citizens who received advice about the 112 number when travelling in another EU country. Other sources of information than the ones listed in the survey were mentioned by 23% of respondents. About 1 in 20 (4%) respondents gave a don t know response. page 20

21 LU DE FI AT SI IT RO SK IE ES EU27 NL EE EL PL MT CZ SE UK BE HU CY DK FR LV BG LT PT SK RO BG PT ES LV PL MT IT LT CZ EU27 HU NL FR SI EE LU AT DK CY BE EL IE UK FI SE DE Analytical report Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Country variations In almost all EU countries, television was the principal source of information concerning the European emergency number 112. Slovaks (90%) and Romanians (89%) were the most likely to select television as their source of information about 112; in a further 14 countries, this media outlet was also selected by a majority of respondents (from 51% in Estonia to 84% in Bulgaria). In Germany and Sweden, on the other hand, less than a third of respondents said they had seen information about the EU-wide emergency number 112 on television (24% and 31%, respectively). Source of information regarding the European emergency number 112 Television Q4B. Where did you see/hear information regarding the European emergency number 112? %, Base: those who have seen/heard information regarding the European emergency number 112, by country In Luxembourg, about one in two (51%) respondents said they had read about the European emergency number 112 in a newspaper; other countries where newspapers were a popular source of information included Austria (34%), Finland and Germany (both 38%). However, in 12 countries, less than a fifth of respondents mentioned newspapers as their source of information about 112 (from 11% in Portugal to 19% in the Czech Republic and Sweden). Source of information regarding the European emergency number 112 Newspapers Q4B. Where did you see/hear information regarding the European emergency number 112? %, Base: those who have seen/heard information regarding the European emergency number 112, by country page 21

22 SI EL PL HU EE LT SK CZ BG RO FI LV LU EU27 IT NL IE ES DE PT AT BE CY FR UK MT SE DK RO LU LT EE PL ES SI SK LV FI BG EU27 HU IE CZ MT FR CY PT UK BE AT IT NL DE EL DK SE Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Analytical report The proportion of respondents who said they had heard information about the European emergency number 112 on the radio ranged from less than a tenth in Sweden, Denmark, Greece, Germany and the Netherlands (4%-9%) to more than a fifth in Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Romania (23%-29%). Source of information regarding the European emergency number 112 Radio Q4B. Where did you see/hear information regarding the European emergency number 112? %, Base: those who have seen/heard information regarding the European emergency number 112, by country While less than 5% of respondents in Denmark, Sweden, Malta and the UK had learned about the European emergency number through the Internet, this proportion increased to 22% in Poland and 27%-28% in Greece and Slovenia. Source of information regarding the European emergency number 112 the Internet Q4B. Where did you see/hear information regarding the European emergency number 112? %, Base: those who have seen/heard information regarding the European emergency number 112, by country page 22

23 FI SE HU DE IE IE PL UK LU DK SI CY CY BE ES FR SE FI LV NL EU27 EU27 BE SI DK CZ DE EE EL LU RO AT UK HU EE EL FR PL PT MT MT ES NL PT SK RO BG BG AT LT CZ SK LT LV IT IT Analytical report Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 In all but two countries, less than 10% of respondents said they had received information about the EU-wide emergency number from a telecommunications provider; for example, they saw the number when using a payphone or read information about 112 on a telephone bill. In Finland, 12% of respondents named this source; the corresponding proportion for Hungary was 10%. The proportion of respondents who said they had received a text message with information about the 112 number while roaming remained below 5% in almost all countries. The most important exception was Greece with 15% of respondents saying they had received a text message with information about this number. Source of information regarding the European emergency number 112 Through other means by your telecommunications operator (payphones, directories, bills) Q4B. Where did you see/hear information regarding the European emergency number 112? %, Base: those who have seen/heard information regarding the European emergency number 112, by country The proportion of respondents selecting a source of information other than the media or a telecommunications provider ranged from 6% in Italy to 44% in Sweden. Cyprus, Denmark, the UK, Ireland and Germany were close to Sweden with more than a third of respondents naming an alternative source of information (between 34% and 40%). Source of information regarding the European emergency number 112 Other Q4B. Where did you see/hear information regarding the European emergency number 112? %, Base: those who have seen/heard information regarding the European emergency number 112, by country Socio-demographic considerations Across all socio-demographic groups, television was the principal source of information about the European emergency number 112. This media outlet was most frequently named by manual workers (70%), followed by respondents living in urban areas, the over 54 year-olds, inactive respondents and those with an impairment (all 65%). page 23

24 Flash Eurobarometer N o 314 The European Emergency Number 112 Analytical report The over 54 year-olds were not only among the most likely to say that they had been informed about the EU-wide emergency number through television, they were also more likely than their younger counterparts to mention newspapers (27% vs. 14% of year-olds). Respondents living in metropolitan areas (27%) and those with an impairment (26%) were as likely as the oldest interviewees to have read about the 112 number in a newspaper. The youngest respondents (aged below 25), however, were four times as likely as the oldest respondents to have learned about the European emergency number 112 through the Internet (20% vs. 5%); the Internet was also a popular source of information among year-olds (15%) and the selfemployed (15% vs. 9% of manual workers). The proportion of respondents who mentioned sources of information other than the ones listed in the survey ranged from less than a fifth among the over 54 year-olds (16%), the self-employed (19%) and respondents with an impairment (19%) to roughly a third among year-olds (34%). Mostly small differences were seen between socio-demographic groups when comparing the proportions of respondents who said they heard about the European emergency number on the radio, when comparing the proportions selecting a telecommunications provider as their source of information about 112 or when looking at the proportions who had received a text message with information about this number while roaming. Source of information regarding the European emergency number 112 By socio-demographics SEX % Television % Newspapers % Radio % Internet % Text message (when roaming) % Other means by your telecom operator Male Female AGE URBANISATION Metropolitan Urban Rural OCCUPATION Self-employed Employee Manual worker Not working IMPAIRMENT Any impairment No impairment % Other Q4B. Where did you see/hear information regarding the European emergency number 112? Base: those who have seen/heard information regarding the European emergency number 112 in their own country, by socio-demographics (1%-4% DK/NA) page 24