European Union roaming regulations

Regulation (EC) No 717/2007

European Union regulation
Text with EEA relevance
Title	Regulation on roaming on public mobile telephone networks within the Community
Made by	European Parliament & Council
Made under	Art. 95 TEC
Journal reference	L171 Vol. 50 2007-06-29, pp. 32-40
History
Date made	2007-06-27
Entry into force	2007-06-30
Preparative texts
Commission proposal	2006-07-12
EP opinion	Approved
Other legislation
Amends	Directive 2002/21/EC
Amended by	—
Replaced by	—
Current legislation

Regulation on roaming charges in the European Union is a part of Politics of the European Union concerning the telecommunication industry and aimed to reduce roaming prices for mobile telephone subscribers travelling within European Union and European Economic Area member states. It is regulated by the European Commission.

The regulation's official name is "Regulation (EC) No 717/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2007 on roaming on public mobile telephone networks within the Community and amending Directive 2002/21/EC".

Prices within this regulation are sometimes referred with the "Eurotariff" name.

General information

The European Commission had repeatedly urged mobile operators to lower the charges for using mobile phones abroad, but they remained on average four times more expensive than domestic mobile phone calls. The data rates are 500 to 1,000 times more expensive than domestic rates. To highlight the continuing problem, the Commission launched a consumer website on roaming tariffs in October 2005. It exposed roaming prices of up to 12 euros for a 4-minute call. As even this did not change the pricing behaviour of mobile operators, the Commission proposed to intervene by regulating. The proposal for a regulation to lower international roaming charges within the EU was published by the Commission in July 2006.

After proposal there was a public consultation on the roaming prices where people could express their opinion regarding this matter.

Primarily changes of the existing situation were backed by Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media. Finally, after debates the Regulation was approved by European parliament. The regulation caps the rates operators can charge each other while roaming in the EU and also limits the tariffs an operator can charge from customers.

The regulation entered into force on 30 June 2007. From this date on, mobile phone operators within the European Union were required to inform customers about the new tariffs (called "Eurotariff") within one month (i.e. by 31 July 2007) and provide an offer for switching to the new tariff. If a customer responded to this offer, the mobile phone operator had to switch them to the new tariff within at most one month. If they did not respond, the new tariff automatically applied the latest on 30 September 2007, unless a special roaming package applied. The ceilings or Eurotariff gradually decreases every year. Operators are able to compete below maximum allowed level.

A Eurotariff is available in all 27 Member States of the European Union and in the 3 European Economic Area countries. It applies no matter if you are a pre-paid or post-paid customer. Switching to a Eurotariff is free of charge with no effect on your existing mobile phone contract. Also subscribers receive an SMS when crossing the border to another EU or EEA Member State informing them about the price (including all taxes) for making and receiving calls. This message is free. It also contains phone number where subscriber can call to find out more detailed prices by SMS or over the phone. Calling this number is free of charge.

Another decision made in October 2007 specified that this matter has relevance for the European Economic Area (EEA) states. This means that the tariffs caps apply to EEA member states (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) as of 1 January 2008. That meant that subscribers from EU benefit from the same price caps when travelling within the EEA and vice versa.

In the middle of 2008 the Commission asked for comments on the review of the roaming rules and their possible extension to SMS and data roaming services. 39 questions were raised about the general functioning of the roaming regulation as well as specific issues concerning:

• Inadvertent roaming or involuntary roaming, when consumers use their mobile phone close to the border of a neighbouring country and are connected to a foreign network.
• The effect of the rules on smaller operators and on domestic prices: have the new rules led to an increase in domestic prices?
• The issue of actual vs. billed call duration: has there been any change from per second to per minute billing as a result of the new rules?
• The need to extend the duration of the rules.
• The need for similar rules concerning data and SMS roaming services at wholesale and/or retail levels in light of current retail prices and market developments.

A regulation on SMS was studied by the EU Commission. Commissioner Viviane Reding gave operators until 1 July 2008 to lower SMS and data roaming charges. The Commission then sent letters to the CEOs of all European mobile operators inquiring about their SMS and data prices. The assessment showed that prices are still too high.

The Commission reported back to the European Parliament and the Council in the end of 2008 on the need to review existing roaming rules. To prepare this report, the Commission consulted the public up to 2 July 2008.

Based on this assessment and the public consultation EU Commission decided to introduce maximum price limits for sending SMS messages while roaming. The European Regulators Group (ERG) has suggested a level between 11 and 15 eurocents.

As of May 2009 a maximum price of SMS send within EU borders on the level of 11 eurocents from 1 July 2009 is almost certain. This would also include a wholesale maximum rate of €0.04.

Data and Internet services are not regulated for the moment by the European Union at the retail level. A wholesale price cap will be applicable as of 1 July 2009.

There will be a price cap for the rates the host operator charges a roaming customer's home operator, calculated on a kilobyte basis:

• from 1 July 2009: a maximum of €1.00 per megabyte (excluding VAT);
• from 1 July 2010: a maximum of €0.80 per megabyte (excluding VAT);
• from 1 July 2011: a maximum of €0.50 per megabyte (excluding VAT).

Note: these charges are wholesale charges between the mobile operators. Retail charges (charges to the customer) are higher. Minimum block charges will mostly also be larger that one kilobyte.

Customers traveling to another Member State would also receive an automated message of the charges that apply for data roaming services.

Under new rules as of 1 July 2009, consumers will also benefit from per-second billing after 30 seconds for calls made, and per-second billing throughout for calls received to ensure that consumers do not face any 'hidden costs' when they are roaming. This is expected to increase consumers savings by over 20%.

On 1 July 2010, operators must provide customers with the opportunity to determine in advance how much they want to spend before the service is "cut-off".

The Commission, together with the National Regulatory Authorities will monitor the development of the prices. If normal market conditions have been established in the market for roaming calls, the regulation is meant to expire in three years from 2007 (30 June 2010). However, the Commission can also propose to continue to regulate the roaming market, if normal market conditions are not working yet. Under the latest proposal this regulation would be extended to 30 June 2012.

Following an investigation into the costs of the absence of a Single Market in telecoms, the European Commission intends to take further measures with the objective of, for example, ensuring that the difference between roaming and national prices should approach zero by 2015. A public consultation by the European Commission on future roaming regulation took place in December 2010-February 2011. The Commission suggested the next regulation in a report to the European Parliament, on 6th July 2011 . The Commission wants to extend price ceilings on roaming services both at wholesale and retail (including for mobile Internet) levels. The validity of the new regulation would be extended to 10 years, with retail prices ceiling maintained until July 2016, and wholesale ceilings maintained until 2022 (but with stable prices over 2015-2022). The newest feature would be the introduction of preselection (including from MVNOs) for roaming services, starting July 2014. This scheme, according to Neelie Kroes is supposed to allow to reach the stated 2015 objective of a close to zero difference between domestic and roaming prices, even though the report to EU Parliament states, on page 9, that the scheme "will require time to [...] produce effects on the market".

Members

Currently roaming regulation is applied to and within 30 countries (27 EU-members and 3 EEA-members):

Countries	Regulations in force since (yyyy.mm.dd)
Austria	2007.08.30
Belgium	2007.08.30
Bulgaria	2007.08.30
Cyprus	2007.08.30
Czech Republic	2007.08.30
Denmark	2007.08.30
Estonia	2007.08.30
Finland	2007.08.30
France, including Guadeloupe French Guiana Martinique Réunion	2007.08.30
Germany	2007.08.30
Greece	2007.08.30
Hungary	2007.08.30
Ireland	2007.08.30
Iceland	2008.01.01
Italy	2007.08.30
Latvia	2007.08.30
Liechtenstein	2008.01.01
Lithuania	2007.08.30
Luxembourg	2007.08.30
Malta	2007.08.30
Netherlands	2007.08.30
Norway	2008.01.01
Poland	2007.08.30
Portugal, including Azores Madeira	2007.08.30
Romania	2007.08.30
Slovakia	2007.08.30
Slovenia	2007.08.30
Spain, including Canary Islands	2007.08.30
Sweden	2007.08.30
United Kingdom, including Gibraltar	2007.08.30

Prices

Common limits

In force from		30 Aug 2007	30 Aug 2008	1 Jul 2009	1 Jul 2010	1 Jul 2011	1 Jul 2012	1 Jul 2013	1 Jul 2014	1 Jul 2016
In force until		29 Aug 2008	30 Jun 2009	30 Jun 2010	30 Jun 2011	30 Jun 2012	30 Jun 2013	30 Jun 2014	30 Jun 2016	30 Jun 2022
Service	Unit	Roaming limits in EU and EEA countries (all the prices are in euro without VAT)
Applies to all subscribers
Outgoing calls to any EU and EEA number	price of 1 minute	0.49	0.46	0.43	0.39	0.35	0.32	0.28	0.24	—
	billing interval	—		per-second starting from 31st second			per-second starting from 31st second			—
Incoming calls from any number	price of 1 minute	0.24	0.22	0.19	0.15	0.11	0.11	0.10		—
	billing interval	—		per-second starting from 1st second			per-second starting from 1st second			—
Incoming calls redirected to voice mail	price of 1 minute	0.73	0.68	0.62	free of charge		free of charge			—
Outgoing SMS to any EU and EEA number	price of 1 message	—		0.11			0.10			—
Incoming SMS from any number	price of 1 message	—		free of charge
Data transfer	price of 1 Megabyte	—					0.90	0.70	0.50	—
	billing interval	—					per 1 kilobyte starting from 1st kilobyte
	monthly default cut-off limit	—			50.00		50.00			—
Right to choose different operator for roaming		—					—		+
Default notification SMS with roaming prices		—		+
Free number to call for detailed roaming prices		—		+
Free '112' access in roaming		—		+
Applies only to operators
Outgoing calls to any EU and EEA number	price of 1 minute	0.30	0.28	0.26	0.22	0.18	0.14	0.10	0.06
	billing interval	—		per-second starting from 31st second
Outgoing SMS to any EU and EEA number	price of 1 message	—		0.04			0.03		0.02
Incoming SMS from any number	price of 1 message	—		free of charge
Data transfer	price of 1 Megabyte	—		1.00	0.80	0.50	0.30	0.20	0.10
	billing interval	—		per 1 kilobyte starting from 1st kilobyte
Right to use other operators' networks in other Member States at regulated wholesale prices		—					+
Legend
— +	Not regulated Regulated	Past		Active		Future			Proposal

Exchange rates

For services paid for in currencies other than the euro, only the reference rates posted by the European Central Bank on the 29 June 2007 , 30 July 2008 , 6 May 2009 , 1 June 2010 and 1 June 2011 are used.

Exchange rate published in EU's Official Journal	29 Jun 2007	30 Jun 2008	6 May 2009	1 Jun 2010	1 Jun 2011
In force from	30 Aug 2007	30 Aug 2008	1 Jul 2009	1 Jul 2010	1 Jul 2011
In force until	29 Aug 2008	30 Jun 2009	30 Jun 2010	30 Jun 2011	30 Jun 2012
Non-euro EU currencies	Exchange rate (units per 1 euro):
Bulgarian lev	1.9558	1.9558	1.9558	1.9558	1.9558
Cypriot pound	0.5837	---
Czech koruna	28.718	23.941	26.805	25.505	24.547
Danish krone	7.4422	7.4619	7.4485	7.4395	7.4561
Estonian kroon	15.6466	15.6466	15.6466	15.6466	---
Hungarian forint	246.15	231.72	285.83	275.53	266.85
Latvian lats	0.6963	0.7042	0.7093	0.7090	0.7095
Lithuanian litas	3.4528	3.4528	3.4528	3.4528	3.4528
Maltese pound	0.4293	---
Polish złoty	3.7677	3.2185	4.4135	4.0791	3.9558
Pound sterling	0.6740	0.7867	0.8861	0.84863	0.87205
Romanian leu	3.1340	3.5381	4.1592	4.1855	4.128
Slovak koruna	33.635	30.395	---
Swedish krona	9.2525	9.4490	10.616	9.6230	8.8932
EEA currencies	Exchange rate (units per 1 euro):
Icelandic króna	84.26	124.54	unclear	unclear	unclear
Norwegian krone	7.9725	8.0430	8.6350	7.9420	7.759
Swiss franc	1.6553	1.6315	1.5089	1.4183	1.2275
	Past
	Active
	Future
---	Not regulated

Local price limits

Method of calculating

As the VAT rates and currencies vary across the EU and EEA, the European Commission publishes price caps in euro and excluding VAT. So the final prices for each country can be calculated by adding the corresponding VAT rate and converting to the currency of the country (if non-euro).

For countries using the euro	For countries using currency other than euro
$x=\left(1+{\frac {\text{VAT}}{100}}\right)\cdot EC_{\text{rate}}$	$x=\left(1+{\frac {\text{VAT}}{100}}\right)\cdot EC_{\text{rate}}\cdot Ex_{\text{rate}}$

where

$EC_{\text{rate}}$ is European Commission maximum allowed tariff without VAT in euro

${\text{VAT}}$ is Value Added Tax rate for specified country, given in per cent

$Ex_{\text{rate}}$ is Exchange rate for specified country published by ECB

Local prices

In force from			30 Aug 2007	30 Aug 2008	1 Jul 2009	1 Jul 2010	1 Jul 2011		30 Aug 2007	30 Aug 2008	1 Jul 2009	1 Jul 2010	1 Jul 2011		1 Jul 2009	1 Jul 2010	1 Jul 2011
In force until			29 Aug 2008	30 Jun 2009	30 Jun 2010	30 Jun 2011	30 Jun 2012		29 Aug 2008	30 Jun 2009	30 Jun 2010	30 Jun 2011	30 Jun 2012		30 Jun 2010	30 Jun 2011	30 Jun 2012
Country	VAT rate	Maximum price in local currency and inclusive VAT for:
			Outgoing calls to EU and EEA numbers (for 1 minute)						Incoming calls from any number (for 1 minute)						Outgoing SMS to EU and EEA (for 1 message)
Austria	20 %		0.588 EUR	0.552 EUR	0.516 EUR	0.468 EUR	0.420 EUR		0.288 EUR	0.264 EUR	0.228 EUR	0.180 EUR	0.132 EUR		0.132 EUR	0.132 EUR	0.132 EUR
Belgium	21 %		0.592 EUR	0.556 EUR	0.520 EUR	0.471 EUR	0.423 EUR		0.290 EUR	0.266 EUR	0.229 EUR	0.181 EUR	0.133 EUR		0.133 EUR	0.133 EUR	0.133 EUR
Bulgaria	20 %		1.150 BGN	1.079 BGN	1.009 BGN	0.915 BGN	0.821 BGN		0.563 BGN	0.516 BGN	0.445 BGN	0.352 BGN	0.258 BGN		0.258 BGN	0.258 BGN	0.258 BGN
Cyprus	15 %		0.328 CYP 0.563 EUR	0.529 EUR	0.494 EUR	0.448 EUR	0.402 EUR		0.161 CYP 0.276 EUR	0.253 EUR	0.218 EUR	0.172 EUR	0.126 EUR		0.126 EUR	0.126 EUR	0.126 EUR
Czech Republic	19 % 20 %		16.745 CZK	13.105 CZK	13.716 CZK 13.831 CZK	11.936 CZK	10.309 CZK		8.201 CZK	6.267 CZK	6.060 CZK 6.111 CZK	4.590 CZK	3.240 CZK		3.508 CZK 3.538 CZK	3.366 CZK	3.240 CZK
Denmark	25 %		4.558 DKK	4.290 DKK	4.003 DKK	3.626 DKK	3.262 DKK		2.232 DKK	2.052 DKK	1.769 DKK	1.394 DKK	1.025 DKK		1.024 DKK	1.022 DKK	1.025 DKK
Estonia	18 % 20 %		9.046 EEK	8.492 EEK	8.073 EEK	7.322 EEK 0.468 EUR	0.420 EUR		4.431 EEK	4.061 EEK	3.567 EEK	2.816 EEK 0.180 EUR	0.132 EUR		2.065 EEK	2.065 EEK 0.132 EUR	0.132 EUR
Finland	22 % 23 %		0.597 EUR	0.561 EUR	0.524 EUR	0.479 EUR	0.430 EUR		0.292 EUR	0.268 EUR	0.231 EUR	0.184 EUR	0.135 EUR		0.134 EUR	0.135 EUR	0.135 EUR
France	19.6 %		0.586 EUR	0.550 EUR	0.514 EUR	0.466 EUR	0.418 EUR		0.287 EUR	0.263 EUR	0.227 EUR	0.179 EUR	0.131 EUR		0.131 EUR	0.131 EUR	0.131 EUR
Germany	19 %		0.583 EUR	0.547 EUR	0.511 EUR	0.464 EUR	0.416 EUR		0.285 EUR	0.261 EUR	0.226 EUR	0.178 EUR	0.130 EUR		0.130 EUR	0.130 EUR	0.130 EUR
Greece	19 % 21 % 23 %		0.583 EUR	0.547 EUR	0.511 EUR 0.520 EUR	0.479 EUR	0.430 EUR		0.285 EUR	0.261 EUR	0.226 EUR 0.229 EUR	0.184 EUR	0.135 EUR		0.133 EUR	0.135 EUR	0.135 EUR
Hungary	20 % 25%		144.73 HUF	127.90 HUF	153.63 HUF	134.32 HUF	116.74 HUF		70.89 HUF	61.17 HUF	67.88 HUF	51.66 HUF	36.69 HUF		39.30 HUF	37.88 HUF	36.69 HUF
Ireland	21 % 21.5 %		0.592 EUR	0.556 EUR 0.558 EUR	0.522 EUR	0.473 EUR	0.425 EUR		0.290 EUR	0.266 EUR 0.267 EUR	0.230 EUR	0.182 EUR	0.133 EUR		0.133 EUR	0.133 EUR	0.133 EUR
Italy	20 %		0.588 EUR	0.552 EUR	0.516 EUR	0.468 EUR	0.420 EUR		0.288 EUR	0.264 EUR	0.228 EUR	0.180 EUR	0.132 EUR		0.132 EUR	0.132 EUR	0.132 EUR
Latvia	18 % 21 % 22 %		0.402 LVL	0.382 LVL 0.391 LVL	0.369 LVL	0.334 LVL 0.337 LVL	0.302 LVL		0.197 LVL	0.182 LVL 0.187 LVL	0.163 LVL	0.128 LVL 0.129 LVL	0.095 LVL		0.094 LVL	0.094 LVL 0.095 LVL	0.095 LVL
Lithuania	18 % 19 %		1.996 LTL	1.874 LTL 1.890 LTL	1.766 LTL	1.602 LTL	1.438 LTL		0.977 LTL	0.896 LTL 0.903 LTL	0.780 LTL	0.616 LTL	0.451 LTL		0.451 LTL	0.451 LTL	0.451 LTL
Luxembourg	15 %		0.563 EUR	0.529 EUR	0.494 EUR	0.448 EUR	0.402 EUR		0.276 EUR	0.253 EUR	0.218 EUR	0.172 EUR	0.126 EUR		0.126 EUR	0.126 EUR	0.126 EUR
Malta	18 %		0.248 MTL 0.578 EUR	0.542 EUR	0.507 EUR	0.460 EUR	0.413 EUR		0.121 MTL 0.283 EUR	0.259 EUR	0.224 EUR	0.177 EUR	0.129 EUR		0.129 EUR	0.129 EUR	0.129 EUR
Netherlands	19 %		0.583 EUR	0.547 EUR	0.511 EUR	0.464 EUR	0.416 EUR		0.285 EUR	0.261 EUR	0.226 EUR	0.178 EUR	0.130 EUR		0.130 EUR	0.130 EUR	0.130 EUR
Poland	22 % 23 %		2.252 PLN	1.806 PLN	2.320 PLN	1.940 PLN 1.956 PLN	1.702 PLN		1.103 PLN	0.863 PLN	1.025 PLN	0.746 PLN 0.752 PLN	0.535 PLN		0.593 PLN	0.547 PLN 0.551 PLN	0.535 PLN
Portugal	20 %		0.588 EUR	0.552 EUR	0.516 EUR	0.468 EUR	0.420 EUR		0.288 EUR	0.264 EUR	0.228 EUR	0.180 EUR	0.132 EUR		0.132 EUR	0.132 EUR	0.132 EUR
Romania	19 % 24%		1.827 RON	1.936 RON	2.128 RON	2.024 RON	1.791 RON		0.895 RON	0.926 RON	0.940 RON	0.778 RON	0.563 RON		0.544 RON	0.570 RON	0.563 RON
Slovakia	19 %		19.612 SKK	16.638 SKK 0.547 EUR	0.511 EUR	0.464 EUR	0.416 EUR		9.606 SKK	7.957 SKK 0.261 EUR	0.226 EUR	0.178 EUR	0.130 EUR		0.130 EUR	0.130 EUR	0.130 EUR
Slovenia	20 %		0.588 EUR	0.552 EUR	0.516 EUR	0.468 EUR	0.420 EUR		0.288 EUR	0.264 EUR	0.228 EUR	0.180 EUR	0.132 EUR		0.132 EUR	0.132 EUR	0.132 EUR
Spain	16 %		0.568 EUR	0.533 EUR	0.498 EUR	0.452 EUR	0.406 EUR		0.278 EUR	0.255 EUR	0.220 EUR	0.174 EUR	0.127 EUR		0.127 EUR	0.127 EUR	0.127 EUR
Sweden	25 %		5.667 SEK	5.433 SEK	5.706 SEK	4.691 SEK	3.890 SEK		2.775 SEK	2.598 SEK	2.521 SEK	1.804 SEK	1.222 SEK		1.459 SEK	1.323 SEK	1.222 SEK
United Kingdom	17.5 % 15 % 17.5 % 20 %		0.39 GBP	0.43 GBP 0.42 GBP	0.44 GBP				0.19 GBP	0.20 GBP	0.19 GBP 0.20 GBP				0.11 GBP
Iceland	24.5 %		51.40 ISK	71.32 ISK	unclear 0.54 EUR	unclear 77.09 ISK 0.54 EUR	unclear 72.48 ISK 0.57 EUR		25.18 ISK	34.11 ISK	unclear 0.24 EUR				unclear 0.14 EUR
Liechtenstein	7.5 %		0.87 CHF	0.81 CHF	0.70 CHF				0.43 CHF	0.39 CHF	0.31 CHF				0.18 CHF
Norway	25 %		4.88 NOK	4.62 NOK	4.64 NOK	3.87 NOK			2.39 NOK	2.21 NOK	2.05 NOK	1.49 NOK			1.19 NOK	1.09 NOK
	Past
	Active
	Future

As can be seen from this table, exchange rate fluctuations has resulted in the maximum price in some countries (such as the United Kingdom) increasing each year, despite the value in euro cents constantly decreasing.

Rounding

The charge limits for the Eurotariff and the wholesale average charge should be calculated to the maximum number of decimal places permitted by the official exchange rate. This sets the maximum that can be charged in the national currency. Providers may wish in practice to quote charges in whole numbers of currency units, especially at the retail level, although this in practice is not compulsory. In this case, the numbers should be rounded down. Rounding up of these numbers to above the level of the relevant cap is not permitted under any circumstances.

See also

• Roaming
• Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communications (BEREC)
• Telecoms Package

External links

• Telecoms in the EU. European Commission.
• Reference Documents
• EU-website about the roaming charges regulation
• Commissioner Reding's Comments to the Press on Data Roaming (Barcelona, 11 February 2008)
• ERG Report of 23rd of June 2008
• EU Public consultation May 2008
• New Rules proposed by the Commission on 23 September 2008
• Lower charges for mobile roaming from 1 July
• Directive 2002/20/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on the authorisation of electronic communications networks and services (Authorisation Directive)
• Directive 2002/21/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services (Framework Directive)
• Directive 2000/31/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2000 on certain legal aspects of information society services, in particular electronic commerce, in the Internal Market ('Directive on electronic commerce')