EU moves to extend fee-free roaming to the Western Balkans

The decision to initiate these talks is intended to signal the European Union's commitment to the region. According to Marilena Raouna, Deputy Minister for European Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, greater connectivity creates more opportunities for citizens, businesses, and economic cooperation. She noted that expanding the common roaming area delivers tangible benefits of European integration to daily lives, serves as a concrete demonstration of a shared future, strengthens regional ties, and reaffirms the European path of the Western Balkans.

The Roam Like at Home framework enables consumers to make calls, send text messages, and use mobile data while travelling abroad without paying additional roaming charges, operating under the same conditions as their home network. The zone currently covers the European Union, the European Economic Area countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, as well as Moldova and Ukraine.

Following this approval, the European Commission will start negotiations on sectoral agreements with each of the individual Western Balkan partners. These specific agreements will be anchored to the existing Stabilisation and Association Agreements that support regional stability, economic integration, and rapprochement with the European Union. Furthermore, these sectoral agreements will establish the required institutional framework for implementation and governance.

Prior to joining the fee-free roaming area, each Western Balkan partner must fully align with and implement the European Union roaming acquis. The European Commission will assess compliance and confirm when the necessary conditions are met.

Once a positive assessment is secured, the joint body established under each relevant agreement will be empowered to decide on the reciprocal opening of the roaming markets between the European Union and the respective partner, allowing businesses and citizens to utilize roaming services without extra fees.