Mobile roaming cuts move a step closer

The promise of 70 per cent cheaper roaming calls has moved closer after the European Parliament backed legislation that will enshrine the cuts in law.

The Economic and Monetary Committee voted to approve the legislation yesterday and the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee and the Culture and Education Committee will vote on the issue today.

The committee-stage votes will help shape the final draft of the legislation, which will be finally voted on by the European Parliament in mid-May. If it's approved, consumers using their mobiles while abroad can expect their bills to fall.

All the parties involved in the roaming legislation - Commission, Parliament and Council - are broadly agreed on the necessity of both a retail and a wholesale price cap, but the final levels that the caps will be set at are still to be decided.

The EC is hoping to set the per-minute retail cap for Europeans making a call home at around 44 euro cents, while the Parliament is backing a range of between 40 euro cents and 50 euro cents and the Council favours a 50 euro-cent limit.

The legislation is expected to come into force this summer. Currently, only voice services will be covered but the European Commission has threatened to extend roaming laws to cover data unless operators are seen to be cutting their prices.