SARAJEVO, OCTOBER 2 (ONASA) – In a significant step towards regional cooperation and accessible mobile communication, the reduction of roaming prices between the European Union and the Western Balkans, signed at the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tirana on December 6, 2022, officially entered into force. force, marking October 1, 2023, as the date of change.
After almost a year of joint work, under the auspices and with the support of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and the European Commission, and the political support of the European Union and the Western Balkans, telecommunication operators, both from the Western Balkans and the European Union, not only fulfilled the provisions of the Declaration, and in many cases exceeded expectations.
From this October, the upper limit of prices for 1 GB of data in roaming within the framework of special offers and packages, in accordance with the Roaming Declaration, should not exceed 18 euros, which will make international travel and communications significantly more economical.
In many cases, the price limit of 18 euros within the framework of special offers and packages goes significantly lower, up to 1.6 euros per 1 GB, while three operators from the Western Balkans, in addition to the prices within the package, lowered even the regular prices of top-up services.
“I announced this almost a year ago with the words that “the prices of roaming services between the EU and the Western Balkans will fall with the autumn leaves”, and if anyone had doubts, I am glad that my words have dispelled them today. This key event is already changing the picture of mobile data traffic for citizens and travelers. The success of the Roaming Declaration between the European Union and the Western Balkans testifies to the power of regional cooperation, which is changing communication for the better, even in the face of complex challenges. This milestone comes at a time of political tensions, economic turmoil and an ever-widening spectrum of climate change in the region, thus emphasizing the importance of regional and Euro-Atlantic cooperation. As we celebrate this achievement, we recognize the commitment of all parties involved, especially telecommunications operators, and look forward to a more connected, accessible and affordable future for all,” said the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Majlinda Bregu.
This Declaration is aimed at a significant reduction of fees for data traffic in roaming between the European Union (EU) and the Western Balkans. The goal is to bring roaming prices between the European Union and the Western Balkans closer to domestic prices by 2028.
One of the telecommunications operators in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in addition to offering very favorable roaming packages in EU countries, where the price of 1 GB is significantly below the threshold price of 18 euros – even up to 3.5 euros, has also introduced lower regular top-up prices and is one of three operators in the region who did it.
The regular price, which before the discount ranged from 2,100 to a dizzying 9,350 euros for one GB, depending on the European Union country to which the user travels, has now been reduced by 122 to 543 times, i.e. by 99.2 to 99.8 percent and amounts to 17 .2 euros per one GB.
Another operator provided the same option, but with an additional activation fee of 0.44 euros. Since this service is pay-as-you-go, it means you don’t have to buy any packages, especially for short trips where you need significantly less than 1GB, so the cost of communication while traveling to EU countries can be much lower than the cost of any package , and it is even possible that it will be negligible, almost like at home. We advise you to check the new prices and options with your telecom operator, and we remind you that the prices of roaming services in the Western Balkans from July 2021 are the same as at home, which is also one of the great achievements of regional cooperation, according to the RCC.