An agreement has been reached on the regulation of international roaming charges, following a meeting, held on 15 May 2007, between representatives of the European Parliament and the presidency of the European Council.
The agreement covers a range of important issues, such as prices, whether to make the regulated tariffs subject to an "opt-in" or an "opt-out" model, and requirements for information and future regulation. A cap of €0.30 per minute is to be placed on the wholesale charge that a "visited" operator can levy, and under the terms of the proposal made by the representatives of the European Parliament, this cap will be cut by 2 cents per year for the three years subsequent to this new regulatory measure on roaming coming into force.
Meanwhile the maximum retail charge will be capped at €0.49 per minute for calls made and €0.24 per minute for calls received. The cap for outgoing calls will decrease automatically by 3 cents per year, while the cap for incoming calls will decrease by 2 cents after the first year and 3 cents after the second year. Operators must offer these values to all their customers – actively, clearly and transparently.
The agreement also sets out whether a user can be covered by the new European rules on roaming services or not. All customers are free to “opt into” the European tariff plan for roaming services, without cost and at any time within a period of one month of the entry into force of the new rules. After another two months, all customers who have neither opted for the EU tariff nor switched to a different plan will see the European tariff plan for roaming services apply automatically. At this time, after three months, unless customers have chosen not be covered by the European tariff plan, they will automatically be accorded this tariff.
The agreement also covers the issue of making transparent information available to customers, setting out that the customer’s home operator shall provide their customers with "personalised pricing information on the retail charges" for roaming services (outgoing and incoming calls).
The Commission has to review the impact of these measures and report to the European Parliament and the Council "no later than eighteen months" after the regulation's entry into force. The Commission must also keep track of developments in wholesale and retail charges and, if necessary, make recommendations. It will also be up to the Commission to assess and propose the extension of the package of roaming services from the three year period currently envisaged by the agreement.
The agreement remains subject to Council approval, and is expected to be formally ratified by the ministers of telecommunication of the European Union at a meeting scheduled for 7 June 2007. Following approval, it would be submitted to the plenary vote of the parliament, three days after a favourable votes by the Industry Committee during its meeting of 21 May 2007.
Further information:
- Parliament negotiators reach breakthrough with Council on roaming http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/058-6650-136-05-20-909-20070514IPR06645-16-05-2007-2007-false/default_pt.htm
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- European Parliament - reduction of roaming charges https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=476349
- Roaming https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=188342
- EU - European Union https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=66653
