BRUSSELS -(Dow Jones)- The European Commission Thursday said it is optimistic that the European Parliament will next week approve its proposal to cap telecom roaming charges, keeping the bold move on track to becoming law by this summer.
Lawmakers in the parliament and national telecom ministers are in final negotiations, scrambling to reach a deal in time for the parliament to vote on the proposal on May 10 and bring the caps into force in July.
The two sides remain at odds over key details in the proposal, however.
While the parliament's industry committee wants to impose a EUR0.40-per-minute ceiling on the retail price of making an international call within the 27-nation bloc, telecommunications ministers tentatively agreed last month to a EUR0.50-per-minute limit.
EU officials say the ministers are now proposing a EUR0.60-per-minute limit, in order to talk the parliament up to a limit of at least EUR0.50-per-minute.
"We get the feeling that both parties are moving closer together," said commission spokesman Martin Selmayr. "Negotiations are ongoing, and will continue right up to the very last minute, until the vote by the parliament which is expected on May 10."
A consumer pays an extra EUR0.58 per minute for receiving a roaming call, even though their operator only pays an extra EUR0.10-EUR0.15 per minute for the added cost of roaming, the commission said.
Despite the outraged protests of Europe's mobile phone operators, the commission has so far managed to fast-track the limits on roaming fees thanks to the overwhelming popularity of the issue - European Commission figures show that some 70% of Europeans are behind the push.
-By Anne Jolis Dow Jones Newswires; +32 2 741 1488; anne.jolis@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires"
Posted to the site on 3rd May 2007
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/23530.php