Brussels, 07/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - Meeting in Telecommunications Council on Thursday 7 June, EU ministers gave the go-ahead to the Roaming Regulation. The text had already been endorsed by the European Parliament on 23 May this year. Henceforth, the cost of calls within the European Union will be at a maximum price of €0.49 for self-placed calls and €0.24 for accepting calls. This maximum charge will be lowered in the second and third years to €0.46/€0.43 and €0.22/€0.19. The wholesale prices for network operators are limited to a maximum of €0.30 and, in the second and third years, to €0.28 and €0.26. Mobile phone operators are therefore encouraged to propose prices below this “Eurotariff”. In accordance with its “sunset clause”, the regulation will expire after three years, unless the Commission considers extension is necessary. Viviane Reding, Telecommunications Commissioner, welcomed this outcome, saying: “The Commission can very well agree with the compromise text tabled today as the key elements (…) have been preserved, these being the maximum wholesale prices and retail prices, and tangible advantages for consumers, as well as transparency”.
Ms Reding was sceptical about the fears expressed that domestic prices could rise. She said: “Competition between operators is fierce. Putting domestic prices up would mean cutting oneself out of the market”. She also gave her assurance that the European Commission and the National Regulatory Authorities (NRA) would “closely follow” market developments. Finally, the commissioner from Luxembourg again spoke of her intention to monitor the price of mobile phone charges with NRAs for the next 18 months. She did not rule out regulation if operators failed to bring down their tariffs during that period.
Addressing the ministers, Ms Reding urged them to formally adopt the new regulation as soon as possible, so that European consumers may take advantage of the new prices during their summer holidays. The European Commission itself is already working with NRAs in setting up the new provisions, with publication in the EU Official Journal on 29 June. Nonetheless, given the time allowed to operators, it would seem highly unlikely that European citizens would be able to take advantage of the Eurotariff until September this year. (gc)