BEREC opinion on the Draft Commission implementing decision amending Decision 2007/116/EC as regards the introduction of an additional reserved number beginning with 116 – new helpline for victims of violence against women

Document number: BoR (22) 141

Document date: 06-10-2022

Date of registration: 11-10-2022

Document type:
Author: BEREC

According to Article 93(8) of Directive 2018/1972 establishing the European Electronic Communications Code (hereinafter: EECC), Member States shall support the harmonisation of specific numbers or numbering ranges within the Union where it promotes both the functioning of the internal market and the development of pan-European services. Where it is necessary to address unmet cross-border or pan-European demand for numbering resources, the Commission shall, taking utmost account of the opinion of BEREC, adopt implementing acts harmonising specific numbers or numbering ranges. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 118(4) of EECC.

In this respect, Article 1 of Commission Decision 2007/116/EC on reserving the national numbering range beginning with ‘116’ for harmonised numbers for harmonised services of social value (hereinafter: Commission Decision) establishes that the numbering range beginning with ‘116’ shall be reserved in national numbering plans for harmonised numbers for harmonised services of social value and the Commission Decision also provides a procedure for reserving national numbers for such services. The Annex to the Commission Decision) contains a list of specific numbers within this numbering range and the services for which each number is reserved. This list may be adapted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 93(8) of EECC.

The Annex to the Commission Decision was amended by Commission Decision 2007/698/EC and Commission Decision 2009/884/EC respectively.

A harmonised number for harmonised services is a 6-digit number from the numbering range beginning with ‘116’ of each national numbering plan of EU Member States. 

Taking note of the declarations of commitment provided by the majority of Member States, accompanied by declarations by helpline service providers available to provide the service concerned, and in the light of the draft implementing decision prepared by the European Commission, BEREC concludes that it is necessary to amend the Annex to the Commission Decision.