The new number is "part of a strengthened technical and legal framework aimed at ensuring the transparency of communications and protecting confidential information", according to a statement from the Interior Ministry.
France has a number of phone numbers for people to use in cases of emergency. They are;
- 15 will connect you to the Service d'Aide Médicale Urgente (SAMU) for urgent medical assistance;
- 17 directs calls to the police or gendarmerie;
- 18 puts callers in touch with the fire brigade, which also deals with life-threatening emergencies;
- 112 is the Europe-wide emergency response number;
- 197 is the number to call if you witness a kidnapping or terror attack.
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Anyone who dials these numbers is likely to be asked for essential information, such as the number they are calling from, to allow call centre operators to call them back if they need further clarifications.
But, the introduction of the Mécanisme d’Authentification du Numéro (MAN) system on October 1st, 2024, as part of laws on telecommunications security, mean that the numbers that individual agencies previously employed to call people back – and which were easily recognisable – are now unusable.
Now, callbacks from emergency services call centres in France, including overseas territories, will come from the secure 0800 112 112 number. People living in France are advised to save the emergency number, so they can easily recognise a call from it and not dismiss it as spam.
“This measure guarantees the security and reliability of emergency calls for all citizens,” the Interior Ministry’s statement said.
If the person called does not pick up and later calls this number back, a voice message will invite them to redial the emergency number they had previously dialled.
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