EU set to completely abolish roaming fees

Telecoms warn that losing the lucrative fees could result in a poorer service and less price competition

An agreement reached by the European Parliament and the EU Commission is expected to end roaming fees – the special tariffs charged by telecoms for using one’s mobile phone in another EU country – in December 2015. The move is still subject to approval by individual EU states via the Council of Ministers.

Jens Rohde, Venstre’s member of the European parliament, told TV2 News that the overall approval should not be a problem.

Danish telecommunication companies, however, were far from thrilled that the lucrative roaming fees are disappearing.

“Investments are needed in both Europe and in Denmark to close mobile holes and secure broadband access for all,” Jacob Wilder, the head of the Danish Telecom Association, said in a statement. “It should be an equally high priority to ensure investment in an expansion of mobile networks that ensures low prices for consumers.”

Higher prices a possibility
Wilder said that losing the roaming fees would not lead to an immediate price hike for consumers. However, what could happen in the future, he said, was less clear cut.

“The loss of the fees will not immediately result in higher domestic prices for mobile telephone use, but it is clear that the action could dampen the price competition that Danish consumers have enjoyed for many years.”

READ MORE: New EU deal will make it cheaper to roam

The EU has tried several methods over the past few years to reduce roaming fees for text, voice and data traffic.

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