The European Commission has proposed opening negotiations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to integrate them into the EU “Roam like at home” regime, the EC declared today.
Once agreements are finalized with each of the partners and once each of them is fully compliant with EU roaming rules, people traveling between the EU and the Western Balkans will be able to make calls, send text messages and use mobile data without additional roaming charges, the press release said.
This means seamless connections at domestic rates not only for citizens and businesses from the Western Balkans visiting the EU, but also for EU travelers to the Western Balkans.
The agreement will make it easier and more affordable for people and companies on both sides to stay in touch while abroad for study, work or vacation.
With the proposal for negotiating mandates approved today, the Commission requests the authorization of the Council to open negotiations with the partners of the Western Balkans. Once approved by the Council, the Commission will negotiate bilateral agreements with each Western Balkan partner. When successfully completed, these agreements will pave the way for the Western Balkans to become part of the EU’s “Roam Like at Home” zone.
m”Roaming charges are a problem throughout the Western Balkans. For cross-border workers and families calling loved ones abroad. Surprise bills while traveling are something we no longer accept in the EU. Today, we proposed to start talks to extend this to the Western Balkans,” declared Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement in X.
