Roaming in Europe: mobile plans will soon be usable at an additional cost in 6 new countries

Traveling in Europe has a huge advantage: not paying for a special mobile plan or a mess of options to use your data abroad. Or even finding yourself with a huge bill when you return from vacation... The European Union therefore implemented the Roam Like at Home rule in 2017, which marks the end of roaming charges in the European Economic Area (EEA).

But soon, six Balkan countries could join the internal market, and therefore benefit from the end of roaming charges. The European Commission has in fact announced the opening of separate negotiations with each of these countries according to information from Le Figaro.

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A measure applied to all mobile plans

Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and North Macedonia are not part of the European Union but are official candidates (apart from Kosovo). Integration into the Roam Like at Home regime would mark the start of broader integration into the European single market. A program adopted in 2023 which allows these six countries to benefit from the advantages of the EU even before accession.

It is especially tourists who will be delighted with this development, although there is little chance that the discussions will come to fruition this summer. In recent years, the Balkans have attracted a growing number of visitors, even though they have to pay additional fees to use their mobile plan. A constraint which, we hope, will soon be over.

Finally, for those who are impatient, certain mobile plans are designed to communicate at no extra cost, even outside the European Union. The Free Max package for example (data only for Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia), the new Orange Travel package (40 GB in the 6 countries concerned), the RED by SFR travel package (for Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro) or even those of B&YOU (Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia).

Oxygen 150 to 190 GB

- Unlimited calls

- 150 GB – 190 GB in France

- 32 GB in Europe

- Unlimited calls

- 130 GB in France

- 40 GB in Europe

80 GB

- Unlimited calls

- 80 GB in France

- 80 GB in Europe