EU, WB agree on reducing roaming charges

Telecommunications operators from the European Union and Western Balkans have signed a Roaming Declaration that will allow the reduction of roaming charges between the EU and WB as of 1 October 2023, kick off the EU-WB Summit in Tirana today.

After the Roam Like at Home has come to action in our region in July 2021, the first question we asked was when roaming prices with the EU will be lowered. That is the first thing we have started working on after that 1 July. When it arrives, roaming prices between the Western Balkans and the European Union are going to go down with the leaves next fall. Following the signing of the Declaration, the RCC said that this is just the beginning of the process until the final objective of EU-WB roaming prices are at the level of domestic ones.

In practical terms, this means that every WB and EU telecommunications operator, signatory of the Declaration, will consider introducing retail rate plans and options with lower charges for roaming users in other mobile networks and the first significant reduction of data roaming prices will take effect on 1 October 2023. It is important that policy-makers in the Western Balkans accelerate the implementation of policy reforms in the telecom sector, which are aligned with the conclusions of the 2022 Western Balkans Digital Summit, with the aim of creating a Common Regional Market in the Western Balkans and a more conducive business environment. Western Balkan economies should implement policy reforms by the end of 2023.

Negotiations to reach an agreement are never easy. They are sometimes tooth and claw. This Declaration is a result of strong engagement of the EU and WB telecommunications operators and the support of the European Commission, RCC, as well as the commitment of the region s authorities. In Berlin last month, we made a breakthrough with the three mobility agreements. The EU is one of the milestones we can mark in the creation of a Common Market CRM in the Western Balkans. Every achievement and deliverable that is accomplished under the CRM agenda is a step forward towards establishing a welcoming investment climate that can attract high quality and durable investments in our region. Bregu said that they invite other telecom operators from the EU and the Western Balkans to join the initiative at any time.

The benefits are huge. This will reduce the cost of roaming for citizens in all of the Western Balkans and the EU while traveling in the region and EU as well as lower business operating costs and encourage doing business outside of their own borders. This initiative is remarkable, especially since it has been done on a voluntary basis by telecommunications operators.