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Tariffs for calls from Romania to EEA countries will be capped

15.04.2019

Starting 15 May 2019, the tariffs for fixed and mobile calls to any country in the European Economic Area (European Union member states, as well as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) will be capped at EUR 0.19 (VAT not included) per minute and EUR 0.06 per SMS.

Intra-EU calls

International calls within the EEA (intra-EU calls) are calls made from a country where the caller’s subscription is based towards another country in the EEA, unlike roaming calls, which are calls made by a user travelling abroad. BEREC has launched a video explaining the difference between intra-EU calls and calls within the scope of ”Roam like at home”.

The tariff caps (EUR 0.19 per minute for calls and EUR 0.06 per SMS) will apply only to calls and SMS towards numbers in the EEA that are made under pay-as-you-go regime. Call minutes and SMS resources included in subscriptions and add-ons are outside the scope of these caps. However, once the included resources have been consumed, the applicable tariffs cannot exceed the regulated caps.

Where are the tariff caps applied?

These tariff caps apply over the same area as the ”Roam like at home” Regulation. Therefore, the capped tariffs for international calls will apply in the EU member states, in Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. They will also apply in certain outermost European territories, i.e. French Guyana, the islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion, Saint-Martin (only the part of the island belonging to France), the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands, and in the Åland Islands. The application of the provisions of Art. 5a of Regulation (EU) 2015/2120 to calls and SMS towards numbers in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, respectively towards numbers in Gibraltar will depend on the developments in the Brexit negotiations. In accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2018/1971 of the European Parliament and of the Council, the tariff caps for intra-EU communications are applicable for a 5-year period, starting 15 May 2019.

Reasons for setting tariff caps

According to Regulation (EU) 2018/1971, high prices for intra-EU communications represent a barrier to the functioning of the internal market as they discourage seeking and purchasing goods and services from a provider located in another Member State. It is hence necessary to set specific and proportionate limits to the price that providers of publicly available number-based interpersonal communications services may charge consumers for intra-EU communications, in order to eliminate such high prices.