The European Commission has proposed the creation of a new EU-wide communications system that would provide secure and resilient communication channels for police, firefighters, medical services and civil protection authorities during crises.
The new system, to be built by European companies, would enable seamless, stable, real-time cross-border communication between all emergency services, even when terrestrial communications networks are unavailable, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner said.
Fires, floods, storms, drone threats to critical infrastructure and terrorist attacks require an effective and well-coordinated response, Brunner said. The EU’s current communications capabilities are limited, however, with systems not interconnected, meaning emergency services often cannot communicate with each other while working to save lives or restore public safety during crises and emergencies, he said.
“The new communications system is designed to address these challenges, significantly improving real-time cooperation in the fight against terrorism and crime and in saving lives during emergencies, thereby making the European Union safer,” Brunner said.
The new communications system would allow data, video, messages and geolocation information to be shared in real time through a single secure device.
