eCall motors on: The Netherlands signs eCall MoU

Creation date: 08 November 2007

The Netherlands becomes the 16th country to pledge commitment to eCall.

The Netherlands has signed the eCall Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to actively support the timely implementation of eCall, the automatic emergency call system for cars. It is the 16th country to pledge official commitment to eCall deployment, joining Member States Austria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, as well as Norway, Iceland and Switzerland.

At the 8 November signature event in Brussels, Mrs Guusje ter Horst, Dutch Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations stated: "It is very important to reduce the response time of emergency services, this will save lives and also reduce the severity of injuries caused."

Commissioner Viviane Reding congratulated The Netherlands for joining the countries having committed to the pan-European implementation of the eCall service. "I welcome the commitment of The Netherlands, shown not only by signing the MoU, but also by having an implementation plan which reflects the Dutch Emergency Response Services' ability to receive eCalls by 2008. This is an important step and paves the way for other European countries to advance towards the full deployment of eCall."

In its September 2007 Communication on the Intelligent Car, the Commission called on Member States to reinforce their efforts and to mobilise all stakeholders to make eCall a reality soon. The Commission is also negotiating with the automotive industry to install eCall equipment in cars by 2010. In addition it promotes eCall deployment by supporting standardisation, field tests and public awareness campaigns.

For more information, visit http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/cf/itemlongdetail.cfm?item_id=3719 or the eCall Toolbox