European Commission proposes including Ukraine in EU's free roaming area

MOSCOW. Feb 15 (Interfax) - The European Commission has proposed incorporating a free roaming area agreement with Ukraine into the European Union-Ukraine Association Agreement.

This will be the first instance of an extension of EU internal market treatment to Ukraine, the European Commission said in a press release.

"Bringing Ukraine into the EU free roaming area is one of the key actions of the revised Priority Action Plan. This plan is the roadmap for the full implementation of the EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area and Ukraine's further integration into the EU Single Market," the European Commission said.

The proposal will now be considered by the Council of the European Union. Following the Council's agreement, a joint decision will need to be adopted by the EU-Ukraine Trade Committee to grant mutual internal market treatment for roaming. "The pace at which Ukraine will be integrated in the EU internal market for roaming will depend on the pace of approximation and implementation of relevant EU legislation in Ukraine," the European Commission said.

Thanks to this arrangement, Ukrainian citizens will no longer have to pay any additional charges to use their mobile phones when travelling in the EU, while travelers from the EU will benefit from the same rights when visiting Ukraine.

At the moment, EU and Ukrainian telecom operators offer affordable or free calls between the EU and Ukraine, on a voluntary basis, the commission said.