CyprusRegulation of Electronic Communications Law 24(I)/2022, Article 32(1), free calls and short messages to 112 for end-users including those with disabilities
Ο περί Ρυθμίσεως Ηλεκτρονικών Επικοινωνιών Νόμος του 2022 (24(I)/2022), άρθρο 32(1)
In force since .
An accessibility requirements rule binding public and private bodies.
What it requires
- If you provide number-based interpersonal communications services, whether publicly available or not, let end-users, including end-users with disabilities, make calls and send short messages (SMS) to the emergency number 112 free of charge (Law Art. 32(1)).
- Allow end-users with disabilities to do so whether or not they are Cypriot citizens, including citizens of other Member States who are not permanently resident in the Republic, with access to 112 where feasible without any pre-registration (Law Art. 32(1); Directive (EU) 2018/1972 Art. 109(5)).
- Route the call to the most appropriate emergency incident management centre (Law Art. 32(1)).
These lines are LexLint's reading of the law's text.
If you get it wrong
Criminal exposureYes
Criminal exposure note
Article 46(1) of Law 24(I)/2022 makes it an offence to provide an electronic communications network or service otherwise than as the Law, a general authorisation under it or the Commissioner's regulatory decisions lay down, punishable by imprisonment of up to six months, a fine of up to EUR 5,000, or both. Section 2 of the Interpretation Law reads a person to include a company, cooperative, association, society, foundation or body of persons, with or without legal personality, so the offence reaches a provider that is a company, at the same ceilings.
Penalty structure
Article 43(2) of Law 24(I)/2022 caps the Commissioner's administrative fine at EUR 200,000 and, where the infringement is repeated, at EUR 400,000. Where the infringement continues, or the provider does not comply after notice of the initial fine, the Commissioner may add a further administrative fine of not more than EUR 1,000 for each day the infringement continues. The EUR 1,000 is a per-day amount. Article 43(1) also lets the Commissioner impose other administrative sanctions or revoke licences where it finds a breach.
- Rule
- Fixed only
- As of
- Currency
- EUR
- Fixed cap
- 400,000
Who enforces it
Enforcement body
The Commissioner for Communications (Επίτροπος Επικοινωνιών), who ensures that providers meet Article 32(1) and may impose administrative fines and other administrative sanctions, or revoke licences, under Article 43 of Law 24(I)/2022
What it reaches
Instrument type
an act of a legislature
Applicability criteria
- As of
- Combinator
- All of
- Criteria
- a provider of number-based interpersonal communications services, whether publicly available or not
What this law does
Article 32(1) of the Regulation of Electronic Communications Law 24(I)/2022 has the Commissioner ensure that providers of number-based interpersonal communications services, whether publicly available or not, allow end-users, including end-users with disabilities, to make calls and send short messages to the emergency number 112 free of charge.
Article 32(1) applies to end-users with disabilities whether or not they are Cypriot citizens, including citizens of other Member States who are not permanently resident in the Republic and who have access to 112, where feasible without any pre-registration. Article 32(1) also requires those providers to route the call to the most appropriate emergency incident management centre.
Article 109(1) of Directive (EU) 2018/1972 requires Member States to ensure that all end-users of the services referred to in its paragraph 2 can reach the emergency services through emergency communications to 112 free of charge and without having to use any means of payment.
Article 109(5) of Directive (EU) 2018/1972 requires Member States to ensure that access for end-users with disabilities to emergency services through emergency communications is equivalent to that enjoyed by other end-users, in accordance with the Union law harmonising accessibility requirements for products and services. Section 7 of the Interpretation Law puts a Law in force on the day of its publication in the Official Gazette unless the Law provides otherwise.
Law 24(I)/2022 was published in the Official Gazette on . Article 43(2) of the Law caps the Commissioner's administrative fine at EUR 200,000 and, for a repeated infringement, at EUR 400,000. Article 43(2) also lets the Commissioner add a fine of not more than EUR 1,000 for each day an infringement continues, or the provider does not comply after notice of the initial fine.
Article 43(1) of Law 24(I)/2022 also lets the Commissioner impose other administrative sanctions or revoke licences where it finds a breach. Article 46(1) of Law 24(I)/2022 makes it an offence, punishable by imprisonment of up to six months, a fine of up to EUR 5,000, or both, for a person to provide an electronic communications network or service otherwise than as the Law, a general authorisation under it or the Commissioner's regulatory decisions lay down.
Section 2 of the Interpretation Law reads a person to include a company, cooperative, association, society, foundation or body of persons, with or without legal personality. Article 45 of the Law has the Commissioner issue regulatory decisions for the better application of the Law.
When LexLint raises it
When your app profile says your app provides telecom services.
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