Brussels, 09/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - Four months after the launch of a web site giving international roaming charges in the different Member States, designed to make price comparisons easier and to encourage mobile phone operators to rebalance their charges, the European Commission has admitted that it has not had the desired effect. The Commission, which is currently working on updating the website, with the new version expected in April, deplores the attitude of operators who are still applying prohibitive and unjustified charges in some Member States, and has indicated that, as a consequence, it is preparing a draft regulation to put pressure on the market. “When I launched this roaming website in October, I told operators very clearly that this is the last time I will stand on the sidelines (…) and that I would be prepared to take regulatory action if prices do not move substantially,” said Commissioner Viviane Reding, at a meeting with the ERG, the European Regulators Group, which brings together the 25 national electronic communications markets regulators. If everything goes to plan, the proposal, currently under legal discussion, could be put to Parliament and the Council before the Summer recess and will be the subject of an impact study. If it is supported by Member States and Parliament, the regulation could come into force with immediate effect in the second half of 2007. “The new regulation will not prescribe a specific “ideal” price for international roaming but would require that international roaming charges are not higher than national roaming charges,” stressed Commissioner Reding, going on that the regulation follows the example of the EU regulation on cross-border payments in euros, where bank transfers from one Member State to another must not cost more than domestic transfers. Further information will be given in April in parallel with the launch of the updated website, said the Commissioner.
Excessive roaming charges must be ended, insists Malcolm Harbour
In a press release, British Conservative MEP Malcolm Harbour applauded Commissioner Reding's initiative which, he believes, will bring to an end to “unjustifiable and unacceptable” practices in the single market. He had hoped that mobile phone companies would voluntarily adjust their prices, but this had not happened. “For far too long now, mobile phone companies have been making excessive profits on roaming charges (…) the way things are at the moment suits them very nicely,” said the MEP. Mr Harbour feels that the Commission initiative will benefit consumers and force network operators to engage in fiercer competition.