SDLP Youth: MEPS must vote to reduce Roaming charges

international | eu | press release Monday May 21, 2007 23:12 by SDLP Youth - SDLP

SDLP Youth Vice Chair Peter Armstrong has called on MEPs to support EU legislation to lower roaming charges when the European Parliament meets in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

He said: "The Austrian initiative will see a price cap put on roaming charges, gradually decreasing in cost over the next three years. It was a deal agreed by EU officials at the eleventh hour after initial opposition from the British and French governments. SDLP Youth are calling on MEPs to support the legislation which could see roaming charges reduced in time for this summer when many people will be travelling abroad.”

“In Northern Ireland, mobile operators over-charging has a huge effect on small businesses that make cross-border calls and people living in border areas. Some European consumers pay up to €12 a minute for pan-European calls. If the legislation is not enacted at this month’s plenary meeting, it will be too late for this summer when the mobile operators make their billions from over-charging tourists.”