Bosnia eyes EU-wide roaming without extra charges

The decision by the Council of the European Union to approve the opening of negotiations with the Western Balkan countries on extending the "Roam Like at Home" (ROAM) regime creates the possibility that citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina may in the future use mobile services in EU member states without additional roaming charges.

However, the implementation of this regime will not be automatic, and it is currently unclear when users in Bosnia and Herzegovina might begin to experience the first changes, CE Report quotes FENA.

The first and key requirement for Bosnia and Herzegovina is the alignment of its domestic legislation with the European Union acquis in the field of electronic communications and roaming. This primarily involves the adoption of a new Law on Electronic Communications, followed by a series of by-laws and regulatory decisions necessary for the full implementation of the European regime.

Earlier this month, the Council of the European Union approved the opening of negotiations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia with the aim of extending the EU's "Roam Like at Home" area to Western Balkan partners.

The ROAM regime allows consumers traveling abroad to make calls, send SMS messages, and use mobile internet without paying additional roaming fees, under the same conditions as at home. It currently covers European Union member states, the European Economic Area countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, as well as Moldova and Ukraine.

The European Union has stated that the decision to open negotiations sends a clear message of the EU's commitment to the Western Balkans.

Following the Council's decision, the European Commission is expected to begin negotiations on sectoral agreements with each Western Balkan partner individually. Before joining the "Roam Like at Home" area, each country will have to fully align with and implement the EU acquis on roaming.

Last week, Bosnia and Herzegovina's Minister of Communications and Transport, Edin Forto, held a meeting with representatives of the European Commission and regional ministers.

"Once the process is successfully completed, citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be able to use mobile phones throughout the European Union without fear of high roaming bills," the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina stated.

It was emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina must fulfill certain obligations in order to achieve this goal, including aligning its legislation with European directives in the field of electronic communications.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has prepared a draft of the new Law on Electronic Communications, which is currently undergoing public consultations.

The Communications Regulatory Agency (RAK) of Bosnia and Herzegovina told FENA that the fundamental prerequisite for Bosnia and Herzegovina's integration into the EU ROAM regime is the adoption of the new Law on Electronic Communications. Based on this law, the domestic legislative framework would be aligned with the EU acquis related to roaming.

"Only after the adoption of the new legal framework can the Agency proceed with adopting secondary legislation regulating fair use policies, wholesale roaming service prices with the EU, call termination rates for calls originating and terminating on numbers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as termination rates for calls originating from EU numbers and terminating on numbers in Bosnia and Herzegovina," RAK noted.

RAK explained that the current Communications Law enabled Bosnia and Herzegovina to implement the Agreement on the Reduction of Roaming Charges in Public Mobile Communications Networks in the Western Balkans region.

However, the next phase requires the incorporation of a much broader set of European regulations into national legislation. RAK notes that the European Commission already provided Bosnia and Herzegovina in August last year with a detailed list of regulations that must be implemented in order for bilateral agreements between the EU and Western Balkan countries to be signed.

Bosnia and Herzegovina must align with the European Electronic Communications Code Directive, the EU Roaming Regulation for public mobile communications networks, rules governing the application of fair use policies and sustainability assessment methodologies for abolishing retail roaming surcharges, as well as regulations establishing uniform maximum call termination rates in mobile and fixed networks across the EU.

Part of the required alignment also concerns rules related to BEREC, the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications, and the BEREC Office.

RAK stressed that it is currently unable to estimate when negotiations and alignment procedures might begin or how long they will take, as this depends on the competent institutions, particularly the pace of drafting and adopting the new legislative framework.

According to analyses periodically conducted by the Agency, as well as reviews of the telecommunications market in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the existing regional ROAM agreement for the Western Balkans, in force since 2021, has brought numerous benefits and conveniences to telecommunications users and significantly improved market relations.

BH Telecom, one of the three dominant national telecommunications operators in Bosnia and Herzegovina, stated that as the country's largest mobile operator, it will fully comply with all legal, regulatory, and technical obligations defined through this process.

"BH Telecom already has experience in implementing the regional RLAH regime in the Western Balkans, which has been in force since July 1, 2021," the company noted.

Based on that experience, the company is already conducting internal preparatory activities to ensure timely adaptation to the future regime. These activities include analyzing regulatory requirements, technical capacities, and operational processes in line with developments in the negotiation and legislative framework.

At this stage, BH Telecom says it is impossible to provide a precise estimate of the costs of technical and commercial adjustments, as the specific requirements will become clear during negotiations and after the necessary legislative and regulatory framework is adopted in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The costs, they explain, will depend on the final rules, technical requirements, implementation deadlines, and wholesale conditions that are ultimately defined. Broader market factors, such as inflation, energy prices, changes in the global telecommunications market, and other economic circumstances, may also affect cost estimates.

"As for any potential impact on prices for end users, it is currently not possible to predict with certainty whether such effects will occur and to what extent. The company intends to carry out all activities in accordance with regulations and with the goal of protecting users' interests," BH Telecom told FENA.

The expected goal of the ROAM regime is that users of mobile services from Bosnia and Herzegovina, after all prerequisites have been met, will be able to use services in the EU under significantly more favorable conditions than today, following the principle of using services as if they were at home.

In practice, this would mean reducing or eliminating additional retail roaming charges, in line with the rules that will be prescribed, including fair use policies. The final implementation model, any limitations, and detailed conditions of use will become known after negotiations are completed and the relevant regulations are adopted.

BH Telecom also notes that the company continuously invests in the development and modernization of its mobile network, increasing capacity and improving traffic management systems.

"In line with the expected changes and projected service usage following the possible abolition of roaming charges, the company will implement the necessary technical preparations and adjustments to ensure users receive high-quality and reliable services," the company stated.

The implementation of the ROAM regime also includes mechanisms to prevent abuse and ensure pricing transparency for users. These measures include fair use policies, monitoring unusual and excessive usage patterns, and safeguard mechanisms in cases of systematic misuse of roaming services.

The European Union explains that ROAM agreements would extend EU roaming rules to the Western Balkans, ensuring the same level of transparency and price guarantees. These rules would apply to all operators, while all consumers would benefit.

"The legal extension of the ROAM regime to the Western Balkans will replace the current voluntary arrangements entered into by certain operators in the EU and the Western Balkans. At the same time, the regional roaming agreement within the Western Balkans will remain in force to ensure low charges for calls within the region," the EU Competitiveness Council told FENA.

The European Union expects that integrating Bosnia and Herzegovina and other Western Balkan partners into the common roaming area would bring benefits to both citizens and businesses.

Citizens would be able to make calls, send messages, and use mobile data anywhere in the EU and the region without additional costs, facilitating travel, communication between students and workers and their families, and everyday use of mobile services while abroad.

For companies from Bosnia and Herzegovina, such a regime could facilitate business activities within the EU single market, while greater digital connectivity could help attract investments from EU countries, neighboring states, and Western Balkan partners.

The EU also believes that this could make Bosnia and Herzegovina a more attractive destination for tourists from the European Union.

The process of extending the ROAM regime is part of the broader concept of the gradual integration of the Western Balkans into the EU single market. In this context, initiatives such as the Single Market Highway, the expansion of Green Lanes between the EU and the Western Balkans, modernization and harmonization of border crossings, accession to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), and participation in digital initiatives such as Digital Innovation Hubs, WiFi4WB, and the EU Digital Identity Wallet are also highlighted.

Although the Council's decision represents an important political signal and opens the negotiation process, the practical benefits for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina will depend on the speed of domestic reforms. Without a new Law on Electronic Communications, alignment with European regulations, and a positive assessment from the European Commission, Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot join the EU ROAM regime.

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