Neelie Kroes warned operators that if they don’t scrap premium roaming fees by 2016 they will face more regulation to bring them into line.

Kroes, vice-president of the European Commission (EC) and digital agenda chief, was speaking at a regulatory conference run by the European Competitive Telecommunications Association, a trade organisation representing more than 100 operators in Europe.

“I am clear that roaming surcharges within the EU have to go,” she said. “They are an irritant and an anomaly, disrupting our single market, and giving you a bad name with your own customers. One way or the other, they are on their way out.”

Kroes said the EC approach – at the moment – is to encourage operators to shift voluntarily towards “roam like at home” packages for customers travelling across the EU.

She added that the risk of price arbitrage is limited by ensuring “reasonable use”.

“Our proposal is the best way to get there,” Kroes declared. “But I am clear that, if the roaming problem is still there by the end of 2016, more intrusive measures will be unavoidable. So it is up to you; the risk of greater regulation is always there.”

Kroes’ remarks on roaming were part of a speech emphasising once again the importance of a single EU telecoms market and a “connected continent”.

“The Single Market remains Europe’s crown jewel, and completing it a main objective of the European Commission,” she said.