The "Roam like at Home" program will be renewed for another ten years. Everything in line with the plans informally agreed by MEPs and the Slovenian Council Presidency.
Roam like at Home
The Roaming Regulation established the 'Roam like at Home' principle which mandated the end of EU roaming surcharges on 15 June 2017. It now applies until 30 June 2022. Five years after it was adopted in 2015, Commission reviewed the program to assess its impact and the need for extension.
Under the agreement, following the end of roaming surcharges in 2017, consumers will still be able to use their mobile phones when traveling abroad in the EU at no extra charge on top of what they are already paying at home. Moreover, they would be entitled to the same quality and speed of mobile connection abroad as at home. Roaming providers will be required to offer the same quality of roaming as provided domestically. Of course, if the same conditions are available online in the visiting country. To this end, MEPs secured a provision prohibiting practices that reduce the quality of roaming services (e.g. by switching from 4G to 3G).
Ordinance also applies to residents of Norway. They will be able to use their mobile phones at home in EU and EEA countries until 2032 at no additional cost. This means that people with a Norwegian phone plan can use it normally in the 27 EU member states, Iceland and Liechtenstein, but not in the UK.
Free access to emergency services
Travelers will have access to emergency services at no extra charge, both by phone and SMS. This also applies to the transmission of caller location information. It was agreed that operators would also have to provide information on the European emergency number 112. People with disabilities will have access to emergency services at no extra charge.
Call to end subsidies for intra-EU calls
During the negotiations, MEPs pressed for the end of intra-EU call surcharges (e.g. for calls from Belgium to Italy) as consumers remain confused about the difference between roaming and intra-EU calls. Intra-EU calls are currently limited to 19 cents per minute. The agreement provides that the Commission will investigate the situation and assess whether further lowering of the ceilings is necessary.
Wholesale roaming charges. Operators charge each other when their customers use other networks while roaming in the EU. They will be capped at EUR 2 per gigabyte (Gb) from 2022 and will gradually decrease to EUR 1 in 2027. If consumers exceed the contract limits while roaming, no additional charges shall be higher than the wholesale roaming ceilings.
We create a fairer roaming market
“We managed to reach a progressive agreement that leads to even better quality and services for European citizens. We are creating a fairer roaming market, focusing especially on smaller operators, significantly lowering wholesale limits. As chief negotiator European Parliament my goal was to significantly improve the situation for consumers," said MEP Angelika Winzig
“We have managed to provide new rules that provide sufficient flexibility to respond to new developments in the telecommunications and technology sectors. In this way, we make sure that the EU keeps its finger on the pulse. Today's agreement is one step closer to a true Digital Single Market. I am glad that we were able to add a new chapter to this European success story, ”she concluded.
Agreement was reached on the rules for free mobile roaming in the EU. NNext steps
Now the informal agreement will have to be formally approved by Parliament and the Council to enter into force. The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy will vote on the text at the next meeting.
Source: European Parliament
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