Public Safety Communication Europe (PSCE) has recently submitted its contribution to the Call for Evidence launched by the European Commission as part of the forthcoming EU Critical Communication System (EUCCS) initiative. This consultation aims to gather views from stakeholders to build a shared vision for the future of critical communications across Europe.
Public Safety Communication Europe (PSCE) submitted its contribution to this consultation, available here: https://www.psc-europe.eu/documents/psce-documents/policy-papers/
This response was discussed and formally endorsed during the PSCE General Assembly held in Gothenburg, reflecting the collective position of PSCE’s membership, which includes a broad range of national authorities, practitioners, industry experts, and researchers.
PSCE warmly welcomes this initiative and expresses strong support for the creation of the EUCCS, through Policy Option 2: a legislative proposal establishing a System of Systems. This approach would offer a harmonised solution at the European level, while respecting Member States’ sovereignty and ensuring coordinated operational and financial support.
Responding urgently to an outdated reality
At present, emergency services, police forces and other public safety responders across Europe are still operating, in many cases, with technologies dating back 20 to 25 years. These legacy systems, largely based on TETRA, TETRAPOL, or DMR standards, are limited to basic voice and short text communication and often do not function beyond national borders.
This growing fragmentation poses serious obstacles to cross-border cooperation and weakens the ability of responders to act quickly and effectively in the event of major incidents, natural disasters, or terrorist attacks.
A timely opportunity for modernisation
The EUCCS marks a crucial step towards the adoption of broadband mobile communication systems which enable rich media exchange and enhanced shared situational awareness. These capabilities are vital to ensure more efficient coordination across all responder disciplines, from police to fire and rescue services, civil protection and emergency medical team, across the EU.
PSCE advocates for the concept of operational mobility: the ability for responders to communicate wherever they are, whenever needed, and with whomever they are required to collaborate, using secure and interoperable mobile technologies across Europe.
Building on proven expertise
PSCE is not merely advocating for this transition, it is already supporting the technical and operational foundation through its coordination of European projects such as BroadMap, BroadWay, and currently EUCCS Preparation. These projects bring together Member States, public safety authorities and practitioners to co-design the future framework for pan-European critical communications.
Engaging a digitally native generation
PSCE also emphasises the importance of aligning future communication tools with the habits and expectations of a new generation of responders, individuals who have grown up with mobile technology and naturally expect intuitive, modern, and high-performance digital communication platforms.
In conclusion, PSCE calls for an ambitious legislative framework to build a safer, more connected, and more resilient Europe. The EUCCS is not only a technological response to evolving security challenges – it is also a strategic opportunity to boost Europe’s digital autonomy and economic growth by fostering innovation in secure communication technologies.
To learn more about our full response and ongoing initiatives, please visit the projects section on our website.