European numbering plan
The European Numbering Plan was a project of the European Commission to reorganize the European telephone prefixes , which was first proposed in a Green Paper on November 20, 1996. For cost reasons, the project was never implemented in the proposed form. Parts of it went into the European telephone numbering area (2001-2010).
Project content
In order to reflect the European identity in the telecommunications sector as well, it was planned to introduce a uniform international code +3 for the whole of Europe , which would have been shortened to a maximum of two digits by the previous country codes (for a Europe of regions). The country codes of the area +4 (e.g. Germany : +49) would have become available for other purposes.
In addition, there was the suggestion to set 1 as the traffic elimination number within Europe, followed by the two-digit country code instead of the previously applicable 00 and the subsequent two or three-digit country code. The national numbering plans could have largely been retained.
Numbering plan
Function numbers
The proposal provided for the following numbering:
| prefix | function |
|---|---|
| 1 | Elimination number Europe |
| 10XYZ | Operator selection |
| 11X | European speed dial numbers (e.g .: 112 emergency number) |
| 12X | National speed dial numbers |
| 1XX | geographical area code (country code, e.g .: 149 for Germany) |
| 1YY | European service numbers (if not occupied by the country code) |
| 1500 | Personal numbers |
| 1888 | European freephone service |
| 1900 | European value added and service services |
| XYZ = 0-9 | |
Country codes (selection)
As an example, the proposal provided for the following country codes with the uniform European code +3:
| ELK | European country code (1XX) |
|---|---|
| ILV | International country code (+ 3XX) |
| old | previous country code (+ XX / + XXX) |
| Accession to the EU in 1951, 1973, 1981, 1986, 1995 | |
| prefix | Country / Territory | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ELK | ILV | old | |
| 12X | + 32X | - | National speed dial numbers |
| 131 | +331 | +31 | Netherlands |
| 132 | +332 | +32 | Belgium |
| . | . | . | . |
| 139 | +339 | +39 | Italy |
| . | . | . | . |
| 149 | +349 | +49 | Germany |
| . | . | . | . |
| 150 | +350 | +350 | Gibraltar |
| 152 | +352 | +352 | Luxembourg |
| 1XX | + 3XX | - | further geographical area codes |
| 1YY | + 3YY | - | further European service numbers |
Project evaluation
After a public consultation in 1997, the Commission concluded, on the basis of the feedback received, that the idea of a long-term European numbering plan would require further study, in particular as regards the cost-benefit analysis , and viewed from a 10-20 year perspective must be. Support for a medium-term harmonization of the national numbering plans was only given to the extent that this would not lead to major additional changes. Ultimately, the project was never implemented in the proposed form for cost reasons. However, according to EU Directive 2018/1972 , the member states are free to “ agree on a common numbering plan for all or certain number categories ”.
Individual evidence
- ^ Towards a European Numbering Environment. Green Paper on a Numbering Policy for Telecommunications Services in Europe. (PDF; 404 KB) European Commission , November 20, 1996, accessed on November 15, 2019 .
- ↑ a b Claire Milne: Numbering trends - a global overview. (PDF; 189 KB) ITU-D , December 20, 2002, pp. 27-28 , accessed on November 15, 2019 (English).
- ^ A b Towards a European Numbering Environment. Green Paper on a Numbering Policy for Telecommunications Services in Europe. (PDF; 404 KB) European Commission , November 20, 1996, p. 6 , accessed on November 15, 2019 (English).
- ^ A b Towards a European Numbering Environment. Green Paper on a Numbering Policy for Telecommunications Services in Europe. (PDF; 404 KB) European Commission , November 20, 1996, p. 38 , accessed on November 15, 2019 (English).
- ↑ a b Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council regarding the consultation on the Green Paper on a Numbering Policy for Telecommunications Services in Europe. (PDF; 2.4 MB) European Commission , May 21, 1997, p. 3 , accessed on November 15, 2019 (English).
- ↑ Directive (EU) 2018/1972 of the European Parliament and of the Council of December 11, 2018 on the European code for electronic communications (PDF; 2.9 MB), accessed on November 15, 2019