Commission puts limits on ‘free’ mobile phone roaming

The European Commission published on 5 September 2016 plans that could limit the amount of days consumers can benefit from roaming-free charges as a result of the ban on roaming charges by June 2017. The law was adopted in October 2015.

The 'Roaming Fair Use Policy' was criticised by members of the European Parliament, which accused the Commission of backtracking on its promise to ban the roaming charges in the European Union.

Following heavy criticism regarding this proposal, it was later announced it had been withdrawn to be further worked on.

• Primary Source

EUObserver, 06.09.16: Roaming exceptions are necessary evil in imperfect EU https://euobserver.com/digital/134934

European Commission: Digital Single Market: Draft Commission Implementing Regulation - Roaming Fair Use Policy https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/draft-commission-implementing-regulation-roaming-fair-use-policy

European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: STATEMENT/16/2985, 07.09.16: Statement by Vice-President Ansip and Commissioner Oettinger on the end of roaming charges in the EU http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-16-2985_en.htm

EUObserver, 09.09.16: Juncker overrules own commissioners on roaming https://euobserver.com/digital/134996

Politico, 09.09.16: EU scraps limits on mobile roaming http://www.politico.eu/article/commission-withdraws-30-and-90-day-limits-on-mobile-roaming/

EurActiv, 09.09.16: Commission will ‘try harder’ on 90-day roaming charge limit http://www.euractiv.com/section/digital/news/commission-will-try-harder-on-90-day-roaming-charge-limit/

EUObserver, 09.09.16: Roaming draft scrapped after Juncker heard about it https://euobserver.com/digital/135001

Politico, 11.09.16: Why Juncker killed the plan to limit mobile roaming charges http://www.politico.eu/article/juncker-spiked-mobile-roaming-limits/

Euronews, 09.09.16: Let us roam - Brussels pulls back on latest plan for regulating mobile fees across EU http://www.euronews.com/2016/09/09/let-us-roam-brussels-pulls-back-on-latest-plan-for-regulating-mobile-fees

BBC News, 09.09.16: EU rewrites plans to scrap mobile roaming charges http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37318538

The Wall Street Journal, 09.09.16: EU Withdraws Draft Rules on Free Cellphone Roaming http://www.wsj.com/articles/eu-withdraws-draft-rules-on-free-cellphone-roaming-1473414353

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