Ukraine will join the European free roaming area: the initiative of the European Commission

Soon, Ukrainians will no longer have to spend extra money on mobile services while staying in the EU. The European Commission has adopted a proposal to include roaming provisions in the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union.

According to the press service of the European Commission, this is the first time when the EU domestic market conditions are extended to Ukraine.

“The inclusion of Ukraine in the EU’s free roaming area is one of the key actions of the revised Priority Action Plan. This plan is a roadmap for the full implementation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area between the EU and Ukraine and Ukraine’s further integration into the EU Single Market,” the European Commission said on its website.

The report also emphasizes that Ukrainians will no longer have to pay additional fees for mobile communications when traveling to the EU. EU visitors will have the same rights in Ukraine.

Today’s move comes after Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in her 2022 State of the Union Address that Ukraine would join the European free roaming area. Before that, the Commission found common ground with EU and Ukrainian operators to take voluntary measures to ensure affordable or free calls between the EU and Ukraine.

The Council of the European Union will now consider this proposal. According to the Council’s agreement, the EU-Ukraine Trade Committee is to adopt a joint decision on ensuring reciprocal domestic market treatment for roaming.

“The speed with which Ukraine will integrate into the EU’s domestic roaming market will depend on how fast Ukraine will harmonize and implement the relevant EU legislation,” the statement said.

According to the European Commission, telecom operators in the EU and Ukraine currently offer low-cost or free calls between the EU and Ukraine as their voluntary initiative. As a result, about 4 million Ukrainian refugees will have affordable communication with their relatives.

“The voluntary measures will be in place for another six months, and the new arrangement now covers calls to landlines in Ukraine as well as new types of operators,” the European Commission assures.

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