The European Commission (EC) reiterated its determination to push through the final abolition of consumer roaming charges as it submitted its latest draft legislation for scrutiny by a panel of member states.

Following extensive consultation with the European Parliament, member states, stakeholders, consumer representatives, regulators and operators, the EC’s College of Commissioners outlined its long-awaited recommended legislation to end roaming surcharges.

The document clarifies the EC’s position, first outlined in September, that consumers should be able to use mobile devices without any caps while travelling elsewhere within the European Union (EU), subject to “proportionate checks for abuses” by operators.

EC VP for the Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip (pictured) said: “In close co-operation with European consumers, we have designed safeguards to ensure travellers benefit from ‘roam like at home’, while avoiding negative effects on the most competitive domestic data packages.

“We have listened, we have consulted, we have refined our proposals; I believe we provide legal certainty. It is now up to EU member states to support what we are proposing in order to make Europeans’ lives easier, cut bills and keep prices down.”

The document will now be discussed by the representatives of member states’ panel on 12 December. Should they approve the proposal, the commission will adopt the rules, subject to the completion of negotiations into wholesale roaming charges, which have been discussed by EU legislators during the last few weeks.