The S&D Group has welcomed the Commission proposals on wholesale roaming charges released yesterday but is urging the Council and European Parliament to speed up their work to ensure that roaming charges are ended by June 2017, as previously agreed.

S&D Group Spokesperson for the Digital Union, Josef Weidenholzer, said:
“The days when you would used to use your mobile phone in another EU county and be heavily overcharged by your mobile phone operator are gone for good. Yesterday's announcement shows that prices continue to go in the right direction, downwards. However there is still a lot of work to be done to abolish roaming charges completely by the summer of 2017. We need to look at these proposals in a lot more detail and ensure that the cost of using the internet at home and abroad remain affordable.”
 
“It is also essential that all Europeans are able to benefit from the advantages that the digital revolution can bring. We therefore welcome the communication on digital skills put forward by the Commission l

Dan Nica, S&D Group co-ordinator on the issue for the Industry, Research and Innovation committee, said:
“This is a positive step. We need to look at the details to ensure that the right balance is found – so that people travelling across borders can roam as if they are at home and that operators can continue to operate competitively. As EU citizens continue to use more and more data on their mobile phones, they will also expect to be able to use it when they are abroad. We need to ensure that they are able to do this in a fair and affordable way.”