The European Commission has proposed a new EU-wide communications network intended to let police, firefighters, medical services and civil protection teams communicate securely across borders during emergencies.
The planned European Union Critical Communication System would provide “seamless and stable real-time communication” even when land-based networks are unavailable, using critical components built by European companies, the Commission announced on Wednesday.
It stated that first responders’ current systems are often not connected to each other and may stop working when teams cross a border, limiting cooperation during incidents such as fires, floods, storms, terrorist attacks and threats to critical infrastructure.
Under the proposal, member states would gradually move from narrowband radio systems to broadband technology such as 5G, with EU satellites providing back-up when terrestrial systems are incapacitated — for example during blackouts. 5G is the latest generation of mobile network technology, offering faster data transfer than older systems.
The Commission said the system would allow responders to share data, messages, video and geolocation in real time through a single secure device.
Monitoring centres and satellite back-up
The system would be designed to prioritise first responders even when mobile networks are saturated or disrupted, with satellite back-up and mobile deployable communications units intended to restore connectivity in a crisis, the Commission said.
Two new bodies are also proposed: a European Union Network Monitoring Centre to provide a secure optical fibre network connecting countries through a central point, and a European Union Security Monitoring Centre to track cyber security risks and support member states.
Member states would keep control over their national networks and governance, with oversight to be handled by a member states’ expert group, the Commission said.
The proposal now goes to the European Parliament and the Council, and the system is planned to be introduced gradually with a transition period starting in 2030.
