Moldova one step closer to joining EU's roaming zone
The European Commission adopted today a proposal to include roaming in the EU-Moldova Association Agreement. Once the necessary steps are completed, Moldovan citizens in the EU will be able to make phone calls at the same tariff conditions as in Moldova, and EU citizens will benefit from the same rights when visiting the country.
"Today we are one step closer to Moldova's accession to the EU's zero-charge roaming zone. EU and Moldovan citizens will be able to call, send SMS messages, and use the internet without additional costs when travelling abroad in the future: just like with the 'Roam like at home' service, which Europeans are very familiar with. This will make life easier for Moldovan citizens traveling to the EU and will help EU citizens travelling to Moldova. This demonstrates that Moldova's future lies in the EU," said Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission.
The inclusion of Moldova in the EU's 'roam like at home' zone is one of the key actions of the EU-Moldova Priority Action Plan, agreed in June 2023. This plan is a roadmap for the full implementation of the EU-Moldova Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) and for the continued integration of this country into the EU's single market.
Today's measure follows the joint declaration of 31 May by EU and Moldova telecommunications operators to voluntarily reduce roaming charges, starting from 1 January 2024, facilitated by the European Commission.
The European Commission will allow the update of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement by adding the latest EU legislation on telecommunications and postal services.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
