From 1st May 2019, telephone operators will no longer be able to charge more than 19 euro cents per minute for calls within Europe.
This measure, adopted by MEPs at the plenary session on 14th November, is expected to significantly reduce the telephone bills of people living in Europe who are communicating across borders.
Although rules to end roaming charges were adopted in mid-June 2017, calls from one’s home country to other European countries can still incur significant surcharges. This imbalance will come to an end in spring of next year, with a limit being set for cross-border rates of 19 cents per minute for calls and 6 cents for texts.
Another measure adopted by MEPs is a text warning system or mobile app that would be activated in the event of an attack or natural disaster in order to warn European citizens.
The warning system should address European citizens who are in areas concerned with imminent threats. The member states will have 42 months to establish this system once the directive has entered into force.
