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EU Push to Extend Fee-Free Roaming to West Balkans Triggers Resistance

An accelerated timeline draws warnings over readiness and costs.

Overview

  • Ukraine and Moldova entered the EU/EEA roaming area on January 1, letting subscribers use domestic plans when traveling there.
  • EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen seeks to add Albania and Montenegro in 2026, Euractiv reports, though partner governments urge caution.
  • Ukrainian and Moldovan officials argue that expansion demands significant technical and regulatory work and warn that fast-track deals could unsettle the market.
  • Mobile operators and the GSMA say rapid enlargement would strain resources and heighten imbalances from wholesale fees that the Commission kept unchanged in 2025 despite BEREC’s call for cuts.
  • Consumer guidance highlights a worldwide €59.50 mobile-data cutoff that now also applies to satellite links on ships and planes, with the caveat that it may not work outside the EU where real-time monitoring is unavailable.