Policy Observatory

“Council [is] willing to move on end of roaming if [the European Parliament] engages on all open issues”, Commissioner Oettinger said this morning. In other words, the Council is proposing to end net neutrality in exchange for the end of roaming charges”, argued Joe McNamee, European Digital Rights (EDRi)’s Executive Director. “

The European Commission withdrew proposals on Friday that would limit next year's abolition of mobile phone roaming charges after criticism that the rules should do more to favor telecoms firms' customers.

In a dramatic U-turn, four days after officials published rules to restrict how many days consumers could use phones abroad without extra fees, President Jean-Claude Juncker ordered the draft revised in what allies and officials said showed that the EU executive wanted to be seen to listen to ordinary voters.