EU Closer To Ending Retail ‘Roaming’ Surcharges

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) removed the last hurdle on the way to full abolition of retail “roaming” surcharges in a vote on Thursday.

The abolition of retail roaming surcharges, now scheduled for June 15, 2017, will enable consumers to call text and use mobile data for the same cost at home and while traveling in another EU country. and transfer data across borders from another EU member state for the same cost as at home.

The informal agreement between the Parliament and Council on wholesale price caps defines how much telecoms operators can charge each other for using their networks to carry cross-border “roaming” calls. Wholesale roaming prices indirectly affect consumers’ final bills.

Lower caps for data transfers would enable EU consumers to access more more data such as audio-visual content when travelling from a country to another. This could also open up markets for small and virtual telecoms operators.

“This is a great victory for European consumers”, said rapporteur Miapetra Kumpula-Natri (S&D, FI). “We can now celebrate the fact that from 15 June on there will be no more roaming fees. Users traveling in across Europe will be able to check emails, use maps, upload photos on the social media, phone and text home without extra cost.”

Parliament removed the final hurdle – wholesale price caps – by endorsing an informal deal on them, already informally agreed with the Council, by 549 votes to 27and 50 abstentions.