The European Commission agreed on Wednesday on a new approach whereby the use of mobile phones in European foreign countries without charging roaming fees will not be limited either temporally or by the amount of internet traffic, but operators will have some form of protective clause in case of abuse. The Commission confirmed that roaming in the European Union will be abolished from June 15, 2017, after a draft of new rules was agreed upon on Wednesday, and the final proposal of these rules will be adopted on December 15 of this year. Before that, the Commission will consult with European telecommunications regulators, member states, and all interested parties.
– Today, the Commission discussed a new approach regarding the principle of fair use and agreed that there should be no restrictions, temporal or by the amount of traffic, imposed on consumers when using their mobile phones in European foreign countries. At the same time, the new approach provides a solid protective mechanism for operators in case of possible abuses, the Commission’s statement says.
About ten days ago, the European Commission proposed that mobile phones in European foreign countries without paying roaming fees could be used for a maximum of 90 days per year, with the stipulation that a single stay outside the home network should not exceed one month. This received quite a bit of criticism, among other things, it was argued that in that case, one cannot even speak of a definitive abolition of roaming, which the Commission boasts as one of its highest achievements. Just a few days later, the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker withdrew that proposal and requested a new version to be made.
