EU Parliament: roaming rates repealed as from 15th June. Kumpula-Natri, “a great success for European consumers”

(Strasbourg) The European Union kept its promise to repeal the extra charge for roaming conversations, planned for 15^th June 2017. Actually, while closing its plenary meeting in Strasbourg, the European Parliament removed the last obstacle along the way to the complete repeal of roaming costs for mobile phones. With this measure, “consumers will be free to call, text and use data through the mobile networks while they are in other EU states, with no extra charge”, explains a notice of the EU Assembly that went with the vote. Finnish MEP Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, the rapporteur, stated: “This is a great success for European consumers. We can celebrate the fact that from June 15^th there will be no more roaming rates. European travellers can check their emails, use maps, upload photos on social media, call or text home with no extra charge”. Also today, the plenary meeting decided that the new initiative of the European Solidarity Corps, which aims at creating 100 thousand jobs or volunteering initiatives for young people, needs adequate funds and laws. The MEPs therefore claim that “it must not be funded to the detriment of Erasmus+ or other EU programmes”.