The European Commission has announced that free roaming for Ukrainians in EU countries has been extended for 12 months straight. "The Commission has facilitated the agreement between 22 European and seven Ukrainian operators to extend the deal, which was first signed in April 2022.
It is mentioned that the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) is monitoring the impact of the agreement. The latest data shows that the agreement has proven effective, enabling operators to offer affordably priced cross-border calls. In terms of inter-operator tariffs for cross-border calls, operators in the European Economic Area (EEA) who are party to the agreement apply significantly lower tariffs than those operators who did not sign it.
Meanwhile, the Commission is preparing for Ukraine's integration into the EU roaming space, which will provide a more stable and long-term solution. In April 2023, the Association Committee between Ukraine and the EU adopted the Commission's proposal for Ukraine to join EU roaming rules. The next step for Ukraine is to fully align its legislation with EU law, and then for the European Union Council to make a final decision.
Background. Recently Mind interviewed Lilia Malion and discussed with her how Ukraine is joining the EU roaming space.