The Council of the European Union announced that it has approved the start of negotiations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to expand the 'roaming like at home' zone, BTA reports.
The change will allow citizens of the six Western Balkan countries to use mobile services in EU countries - including calls, text messages and mobile internet - without additional charges. The same conditions will apply to EU citizens when traveling to these countries.
The zone currently includes EU countries, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Moldova and Ukraine. Following today's decision, the European Commission will start negotiations to conclude separate agreements with each of the six Balkan countries.
They will have to make relevant legislative changes and bring their national rules into line with European telecommunications legislation.
Following a positive assessment by the European Commission of the fulfilment of the requirements, a decision can be taken to mutually open up the roaming markets.
The EU introduced the "roam like at home" regime nine years ago, gradually eliminating additional charges for consumers when travelling within the Union.