EU preparing to include Balkan countries in its data roaming zone

By Mucahithan Avcioglu

ISTANBUL (AA) - The EU plans to include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia in its roaming zone, which is applied across the bloc and where mobile phone operators do not charge subscribers from other member states.

The European Commission announced Wednesday that it has submitted a request to the European Council for authorization to open negotiations on including Western Balkan countries in the EU’s common roaming area.

If approved by the council, the commission will begin bilateral talks with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

Upon the successful conclusion of these agreements, the Western Balkans would become part of the EU roaming zone.

Once the countries fully align with EU roaming rules, travelers between the EU and the Western Balkans would be able to make calls, send text messages, and use mobile data without paying additional roaming charges.

The EU’s “roam like at home” regulation, which prohibits mobile operators from imposing roaming fees within the bloc, entered into force in 2017. Since then, subscribers traveling within the EU have been able to use their domestic call, text, and data allowances abroad at no extra cost.

Ukraine was also integrated into the EU roaming area at the beginning of this year.