The European Parliament (EP) has voted to end mobile phone roaming fees by 2016 and barred telecoms operators from prioritizing some Internet traffic over others. By Tony Richman

I am particularly delighted with this vote as I first started lobbying about this matter, on behalf of the removals industry a number of years ago whilst I was still working for FEDEMAC. As an ex operator myself I was only too aware of the excessive charges that could easily mount up to huge sums of money whilst drivers /staff working on cross-border European deliveries needed to keep in contact with customers and the office.

In a session in Brussels, 3 April, 2014 lawmakers backed telecom reform legislation that will phase out roaming fees across the 28-country European Union by December 2015, bolster consumer protections on mobile and broadband contracts and seek to make the sale of mobile licences more uniform across Europe. This is what the EU is all about - getting rid of barriers to make life easier and less expensive. We should know what we are buying, we should not be ripped off, and we should have the opportunity to change our mind. The package could still change after getting the EP’s backing because it must be approved by the Council of the European Union, which includes a representative of each Member State. The Council is expected to make a decision in October.

Photo: Roaming fees will end by 2016