What is SOS 112?
112 is the emergency telephone number for the European Union.
People in distress can call 112 24/7 to reach emergency services. The European emergency number is free and can be reached by landline phones as well as mobiles.
What is a Written Declaration?
A Written Declaration is a tool for Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to launch or re-launch a debate on a matter falling within the European Union’s sphere of activities. It consists of a text (maximum 200 words) that needs to be signed by at least half of the MEPs within a time limit of three months.
What is the Written Declaration 35/2011 on the need for accessible 112 emergency services?
The Written Declaration 35/2011 was initiated by the Romanian Deaf Association and was coordinated by the European Union of the Deaf (EUD). The Written Declaration called for accessible 112 emergency services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people including video technologies that support sign language and text-based systems. This Written Declaration also called for legislation and standardization in the EU Member States.
The Written Declaration 35/2011 was formally adopted by the President of the European Parliament on 17 November 2011 with a record number of 483 signatures from MEPs.
The Written Declaration 35/2011 is supported by the European Emergency Number Association (EENA), the European Federation of Hard of Hearing People (EFHOH), and the European Union of the Deaf (EUD).
