European Parliament wants to extend roaming rules; international calls should be cheaper

The European Parliament has held a meeting on the future of roaming policy. For several years now, you no longer pay for calling, using the internet and texting in another EU country than in your current country. More changes are now being proposed.

Roaming is being extended and expanded

Thanks to roaming agreements within the European Union, we can use our smartphone on the Spanish beach, under the Eiffel Tower or in the Swedish countryside, just like at home. What you do comes from the same bundle and costs just as much as at home. That is broadly how it is now, and how it should be in the future for the time being. The current rules on roaming expire on June 30, 2022, so the European Parliament committee has gathered to vote on roaming charges.

A proposal from the European Commission to extend current roaming rules for another ten years has been approved. This means that in the coming years internet, calling and texting in another EU country will cost just as much as in the Netherlands.

International calls

Costs are still charged for international telephone calls, between different EU member states. These are a maximum of 19 cents per minute, without VAT. The European Parliament still wants to agree on this. The wish would be that calling from one’s own country, to another EU country, also goes for the same rate as in the home country, and can therefore be taken out of the bundle. Only if a provider can demonstrate that such costs are justified, they should be passed on, according to parliament. The first negotiations on this point will start at the end of October.