European Union scraps mobile roaming charges

«The European Union is about bringing people together and making their lives easier. The end of roaming charges is a true European success story,» said President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani, Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat, on behalf of the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker in a joint announcement.

On Thursday, 15 June, mobile roaming charges will cease in the EU. This means residents travelling in EU member states will be able to make calls, send text messages and use applications at the same prices as in their home countries. Scrapping mobile roaming charges is one of the greatest and most tangible benefits of EU to date, as reported by the European Commission.
 

«Over the last 10 years, our institutions have been working hard together to fix this market failure. Each time a European citizen crossed an EU border, be it for holidays, work, studies or just for a day, they had to worry about using their mobile phones and a high phone bill from the roaming charges when they came home. Roaming charges will now be a thing of the past. As of tomorrow, you will be able to remain connected while travelling in the EU, for the same price as at home,» as explained in EC statement.
 

The European Parliament notes that this success was neither quick nor simple to achieve. Nevertheless, by combining strength, the EU has managed to secure a clear and positive benefit to European residents. «We are proud that the EU has put an end to very high roaming prices and thankful to those who showed the determination to overcome the many challenges and pursue this goal,» EC adds.
 

It is also mentioned in the statement that operators were given two years to prepare for the end of roaming charges.
 

BNN previously reported that MEPs voted to lift the final barrier for the scrapping of roaming charges in April.

BNN

Comment