It has now been confirmed that there will be no roaming charges in the European Union (EU), at least until 2032.
These charges, which normally apply when using your mobile phone abroad, were abolished in 2017 in the EU to make it easier to travel between member countries. They were suspended until 30 June 2022. After Parliament's agreement at the end of March, all that was needed was the Council's agreement for the 10-year extension to take effect. This was given on Monday 4 April. The Council confirmed in a press release that the legislative act has been “adopted”. It will be published in the EU's Official Journal and will enter into force on 1 July 2022 after it is signed by the Council and the Parliament's presidents.
“Citizens will therefore be able to continue to make calls, send texts and surf the web when travelling in other EU countries without incurring additional costs,” stated the Council.
Not 100% free: reminder of roaming rules
However, when you arrive abroad, you may get a message from your operator that you are entitled to less internet than your national package. “Operators can apply a 'reasonable usage policy' to ensure that all roaming customers have access to and benefit from roaming at national rates when travelling within the EU. This means that they can apply fair, reasonable and proportionate control mechanisms to avoid abuse of these rules,” the EU explains in a dedicated article.
On the other hand, “no volume restrictions apply to voice calls and SMS”. This principle of reasonable usage remains in force. Roaming providers are also obliged to offer the same quality as at home where the network allows. Access to emergency services remains free.
The bill also regulates wholesale rates, i.e. the price that operators charge each other. It will be capped at €2 per GB, then €1.90 in January 2023, €1.55 in 2024, €1.30 in 2025, €1.10 in 2026 and €1 on 1 January 2027 and until 2032. For calls, the cap is €0.022 per minute, rising to €0.019 per minute from January 2025. 0.004 and then '0.003 per SMS from January 2025 to June 2032.
Members of parliament had also pushed for an end to premium charges for intra-EU calls (for example, when calling from Belgium to Italy), because of consumer confusion with roaming calls. Intra-EU calls are currently capped at 19 cents per minute. This was also a request from the European Parliament, but the Council refused it during the negotiations, according to information by Delano's sister publication Paperjam. The new regulation does not contain any provisions on this subject. It only provides for the possibility for the Commission to assess whether further tariff reductions are necessary.
This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.