- Office of Electronic Communications

The new (recast) EU Roaming Regulation

On April 13, 2022, the text of the recast Roaming Regulation was published in the EU's Official Journal - Regulation of the European Parliament and the EU Council 2022/612 of April 6, 2022 on roaming on public mobile communications networks within the EU.

The amended regulations enter into force on July 1, 2022.

The EU has regularly reduced the roaming charges paid by consumers for the use of their mobile phones when traveling abroad in another EU / EEA country since 2006. Subsequent EU regulations (531/2012, 2015/2120, 2017/920) introduced a globally unique system, enabling roaming in other countries of the area under domestic conditions and rates, without additional charges (RLAH, Roam-Like-At-Home) . From June 15, 2017, operators were required to abolish retail roaming charges paid by consumers. In the case of wholesale roaming charges (prices charged mutually by operators for the use of their networks), price caps have been introduced.

In February 2021, the European Commission proposed to extend RLAH for another 10 years, i.e. until the end of June 2032, which was done under the regulation that had just been adopted. In addition, consumers will enjoy the same quality of roaming services as at home also in other EU / EEA countries, as well as access to emergency services at no extra charge. The cost of wholesale roaming charges will be limited to EUR 2 per 1 GB (gigabyte) from 2022, and further gradually lowered to EUR 1 in 2027. The EC will assess whether it is necessary to further reduce intra-EU charges.