Glos: „Today's decision of the European Parliament on roaming means that we have almost reached the finish line“

The European Parliament today adopted a draft Regulation to reduce the cost of mobile phone roaming calls in the EU.

Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, Michael Glos: "The German Presidency expressly welcomes that the compromise that has been reached after intensive negotiations between the Presidency, the Commission and the European Parliament was endorsed at today's plenary session. The German Presidency had set itself the ambitious target to adopt this Regulation in the 1^st half-year of 2007. Today's decision of the European Parliament means: We have almost reached the finish line - and in a record time!"

The result of the negotiations now remains to be confirmed by the Telecommunications Council on 7 June 2007 in Luxembourg before it can enter into force at the end of July. Federal Minister Glos: "I am confident that the sound and sustainable compromise will be accepted by the Ministers and that consumers will benefit from the rule as early as this summer."

With this compromise the German Council Presidency has succeeded in achieving central elements of the Council's position. The consumer-protection tariff - which is now called Eurotariff - had been proposed by Germany.

The draft Regulation on roaming calls is not only a straightforward, unbureaucratic and efficient solution within the framework of better regulation, it is also characterized by a balance between protecting consumers and guaranteeing competition. In the last few weeks, the media coverage of the German Presidency and the Council respectively has been quite difficult; terms such as "consumer-hostile" and "industry-friendly" have been used.

Federal Minister Glos: "It is easy and good for the media coverage but wrong to fall below the proposed price caps. The Regulation aims to considerably reduce the roaming charges, which had partly been excessive, and to perceptibly reduce the burden on consumers. It is, however, equally important to allow for competition and to create scope for innovation and a range of tariffs, since this is also in the interest of consumers."