Günstigere Roaminggebühren jetzt in ganz Europa in Kraft[en] 

On 27 June 2007, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering signed the regulation on mobile-phone roaming. It was published in the Official Journal on 29 June 2007 and will come into effect on 30 June. Until then, all mobile phone operators in Europe have to offer tariffs that are on the same level or cheaper than the Eurotariff. 

Since operators have up to a month to activate the new tariff, Europeans going on holiday in August will need to request the cheaper rate from their operator at the beginning of July, in order to make sure they benefit from the cheaper rates. 

For those customers who do not respond, the Eurotariff will enter into force automatically after 30 August. Since the 30-day activation period applies in those cases also, it will take until 30 September before all Europeans pay the lower rates when calling abroad. 

The Eurotariff is 49 cents per minute for calls made abroad and 24 cents per minute for incoming calls. Until now, consumers had to pay up to ten times that amount, depending on the countries between which they were calling. 

During the next two years the tariff will drop, step-by-step, to 43 cents and 19 cents, repectively. Thereafter, the regulation will expire. 

German Christian-Democrat MEP Angelika Niebler, who chairs the Parliament's Industry Committee (the lead committee on roaming), said: "Even before entering into force the Roaming Regulation already has had a positive impact. Right now several companies are offering new tariffs which are below the limits of the Eurotariff." 

Internal Market Committee Chair Arlene McCarthy (UK Labour) added: "This new law shows that the European Parliament acts when consumers complain about being overcharged for using their mobile phones when travelling, on holiday or on business, across Europe. Not only will consumers see their phone bills cut by some 50%, they will benefit from new protection with a Euro tariff, automatic free texts giving price information and the power and knowledge to shop around between operators to get the best deal."

Jim Murray, Secretary-General with consumer organisation BEUC, warned: "Consumers should examine the operator's package carefully to see if it is better than the Eurotariff. We stress that operators' special offers could be better for some consumers, but not for others and invite everyone to look carefully at small prints. Consumers already on a special package, or who accepted the offer of a special package will not benefit from the Eurotariff, unless they ask for it."