Germany Urges Swift EU Accession for Western Balkan Countries
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has issued a compelling call for the expedited integration of candidate countries from the Western Balkans into the European Union
EU member states on Wednesday proposed to postpone scrapping mobile roaming charges by three years until 2018 at least.
At present, mobile phone customers in the EU face extra roaming charges for calls, text messages or internet usage in member states other than their own.
The 28-nation European Union has been cutting the charges in response to complaints from customers. The European Parliament last year approved a package that would have abolished the charges altogether from the end of 2015, reflecting the widespread push for a European digital single market.
Now, the European Council has decided to send the package back to Parliament for further consideration, saying that a new pricing mechanism, to be introduced from mid-2016, should lead to lower costs for consumers.
"Within certain limits to be determined, consumers could make and receive calls, send SMSs and use data services without paying anything extra on top of the domestic fee. Once this basic roaming allowance is used up, the operator may charge a fee but this fee will be much lower than current charges," the European Council said in a statement.
As the next step, the European Commission will be asked to assess by mid-2018 what further measures may be needed with a view to phasing out roaming charges.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
Chinese President Xi Jinping is embarking on a six-day tour of Europe amidst escalating trade tensions with the European Union and concerns over China's support for Russia. The trip, Xi's first to the continent since 2019, includes visits to France, Serbi
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has issued a compelling call for the expedited integration of candidate countries from the Western Balkans into the European Union
French President Emmanuel Macron has ignited controversy by calling for France's nuclear arsenal to be integrated into the European defense discourse
Brussels has called upon 15 prominent companies, including Lidl, Coca-Cola, and L'Oréal, to halt their advertising campaigns in pro-Kremlin media outlets across Bulgaria
European Commissioner for Internal Affairs, Ylva Johansson, has highlighted the pressing need for increased labor migration in the European Union
The European Parliament has voted to impose a €10,000 limit on cash payments within the European Union
UN Happiness Report: Bulgaria's Astonishing Leap in Rankings
Bulgaria: 3 Regions With Lowest Life Expectancy - EU Report 2022