Commission launches public consultation to review and prolong the Roaming Regulation

Today, the European Commission has launched a public consultation on the review and extension of the Roaming Regulation. The Regulation put an end to mobile roaming charges for travellers in the EU and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway in June 2017. Since then, ‘Roam like at Home’, one of the most emblematic achievements of the EU Single Market, has benefitted millions of travellers in the EU. Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age, said: “Roaming is a concrete improvement of daily life for Europeans, benefiting consumers and operators alike. Roaming abroad without fearing unforeseen costly invoices after returning from holidays or a business trip is now the normal for European citizens. The consumption is up and the demand for mobile services shows that ‘Roam like at Home’ turned into a habit. We continue our work so Europeans can enjoy these concrete advantages.” Thierry Breton, Commissioner for the Internal Market, said: “In the summer of 2019, Europeans used seventeen times more data while roaming than they did before Roaming surcharges were abolished. Roaming without charges allows millions of EU citizens to stay connected while travelling abroad. Business trips and remote working are more affordable, which benefits especially SMEs. The Commission is working to ensure that Europeans can continue to rely on the benefits of roaming without extra charges in the EU.” As the current legislation expires in June 2022, the Commission expects that it will have to propose a new Regulation for European to keep enjoying these benefits, and will therefore review and prolong the Roaming Regulation. With the launch of the public consultation, this process is set in motion. While the long-term objective would be to guarantee ‘Roam like at Home’ without market regulation, in the medium term, certain legislative measures continue to seem necessary. The consultation will run for 12 weeks and is available here.