IP/09/1842 Brussels, 30 November 2009 116 006 : Victims of Crime 116 117: Non-Emergency Medical Services European Commission reserves phone numbers for victims of crime and non-emergency medical hotlines in Europe How can victims of crime get assistance in the EU? Who should EU citizens call if they need non-urgent medical help or advice? New helplines like these should be available soon throughout the EU thanks to a decision taken by the European Commission today. It reserves two new "116" numbers for services of social value. The helpline numbers 116 006 and 116 117 will be reserved for victims of crime and for citizens calling non-emergency medical services across the EU. “ People are most vulnerable when they are away from home, and Europe-wide numbers can make a real difference when things go wrong. The two numbers reserved today will, when operational in all EU countries, offer support to people in difficulty if they are victims of crime or if they need non-emergency medical help " said Viviane Reding, EU Telecoms Commissioner. " I urge Member States to make the new numbers available as soon as possible and to do what they can to encourage organisations that can efficiently provide these services to put them to good use ”. The 116 006 will help victims of crime by informing them of their rights and how to use these, offering emotional support, while also referring victims to relevant organisations. As a single access point, it will provide information about local police and criminal justice proceedings, possibilities for compensation and insurance matters, and other sources of help for victims of crime The non-emergency medical call service (116 117) will direct callers to medical assistance when the need is urgent but not life-threatening, especially outside normal office hours, during the weekend or public holidays. The aim is to connect the caller to a skilled call-handler or a qualified medical practitioner who could provide on-call medical assistance or advice, particularly when the caller's usual source of medical assistance is not available. The Commission Decision adopted today builds on the EU's 2007 Decision on 116 numbers ( IP/07/346 ), which reserves three other numbers EU wide for services of social value: 116 000 for the Missing Child Hotline , 116 111 for Child Helplines and 116 123 for emotional support helplines ( IP/09/276 ). Today's Decision requires EU countries to make sure that the two new numbers can be assigned by national telecoms regulators from 15 April 2010. It will be up to the relevant national organisations to apply for the numbers and put them into operation. Background: In July 2006, the European Commission proposed to reserve a common telephone number to report missing children (116 000) and another for children to call when they need help (116 111) as part of a coordinated EU strategy on the rights of the child ( IP/06/927 ). On 15 February 2007 and 29 October 2007 respectively the Commission decided to reserve 116 000 and 116 111 (as well as 116 123 for emotional support helplines) in all EU Member States ( IP/07/188 ). The Decision obliges EU countries to make "116 numbers" available, but does not oblige them to assign the numbers to a service provider or ensure provision of the services. Today's amending Decision is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ecomm/library/legislation/index_en.htm#decisions Further information on 116: http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ecomm/current/pan_european/index_en.htm Annex State of Implementation of the existing reserved 116 Numbers: Situation as of 1 July 2009 Legend: P= preparatory work completed; number availability has been publicised O= assignment ongoing A= number assigned MS 116000 Missing Children 116111 Child Helplines 116123 Emotional support AT P P A – 20/06/2008 ORF – Österreichischer Rundfunk (Austrian Red Cross) BE A – 18/07/2007 Child Focus P P BG O A – 15/05/2008 State Agency for Child Protection P CY O O O CZ P A – 24/04/2008 Telefonica O2 (Safety Line Association Sdruzení Linka Bezpecí) P DE P A – 02/06/2008 Nummer gegen Kummer e.V. A - 06/08/2008 to Katholische Bundes-arbeitsgemeinschaft für Ehe-, Familien- und Lebensberatung, Telefonseelsorge und Offene Tür e.V. DK A - 03/10/2007 TDC (Thora Center) A – 16/04/2008 TDC (Børns Vilkår) P EE P A - 09/06/2008 Arstlik Perenõuandla LLC P EL A – 11/09/2007 The smile of the child A – 21/03/2008 ΕΨΥΠΕ ( "Society of Psychosocial Education of children and Youth") P ES O O P FI P A - 13/12/2007 Mannerheim League for Child Welfare A - 07/02/2008 Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland FR A – 25/05/2009 INAVEM Fédération Nationale d'Aide aux Victimes P P HU A - 21/02/2008 Kék Vonal A - 11/02/2008 Magyar Telekom (Kék Vonal) P IE P A – 19/06/2008 ISPCC A – 09/01/2008 The Samaritans IT A - 24/01/2008 to Ministry of interiors (Telefono Azzurro) P P LT P A - 14/05/2009 State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour A - 28/04/2009 Lithuanian Association of Telephone Emergency Services LU P P P LV P A - 12/12/2008 to Lattelecom P MT P P P NL A – 23/10/2007 Stichting De Ombudsman (Centrum Internationale Kinderontvoering) A - 10/07/2008 to Maatschappelijk Ondernemers Groep (Landelijk bureau Kindertelefoon) A – 29/04/2008 SOS Telefonische Hulpdiensten A – 29/05/2008 Stichting Korrelatie PL A - 23/01/2009 Telekomunikacja Polska S.A. in cooperation with ITAKA - Centre for Missing People A – 04/08/2008 Polkomtel S.A. ( in cooperation with Nobody's Children Foundation – Fundacja Dzieci Niczyje) A- 30/03/2009 to Netia S.A. ( in cooperation with Institute of Health’s Psychology – Instytut Psychologii Zdrowia) PT A - 12/09/2007 Instituto de Apoio à Criança A - 11/01/2008 Instituto de Apoio à Criança P RO A- 30/07/2008 to Rometelecom (the Romanian Center for Missing and Sexually Exploited children) A - 30/07/2008 to Rometelecom (The Child Helpline - Asociatia Telefonul Copilului) P SE P A - 24/01/2008 BRIS (Children's rights in Society) A - 24/01/2008 Church of Sweden SI P P A - 21/02/2008 Zveza slov. Drustev svet za telef. Pomoc v stiski-STS SK A - 20/06/2008 Orange SK (Slovak Board of UNICEF) A - 20/06/2008 Orange SK (Slovak Board of UNICEF) P UK P P P