Mobile phone charges set to be reduced across EU from start of July
Mobile phone charges across the EU are set to drop from tomorrow (Monday 1 July) as a price cap on making and receiving calls and data downloads is introduced.
The price caps will see roaming charges fall with the maximum cost of a phone call to drop to 24 euro cents a minute, a fall of around 17 per cent, while data charges are set at 45 euro cents a megabyte, a reduction of 36 per cent.
The price reductions will be introduced after the European Parliament passed the regulations to lower mobile charges.
In May, European Commission vice-president Neelie Kroes called for the European Parliament to scrap mobile roaming costs in an effort to open up the internet to citizens.
“I want you to be able to go back to your constituents and say that you were able to end mobile roaming costs. I want you to be able to say that you saved their right to access the open internet, by guaranteeing net neutrality,” she said.
The charges will also apply to Croatia which will join the EU tomorrow as well.