The European Commission opened bilateral negotiations on 6 November to extend the EU’s Roam Like at Home system to Montenegro and five other Western Balkan economies, the Commission said. The talks could lead to eligible mobile users avoiding additional roaming surcharges, but the rules will not take effect until agreements are completed and markets align their regulations with the EU framework.
The initiative covers Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo. The EU Council authorised the negotiations in June, following earlier proposals to extend the European roaming framework to the Western Balkans.
If agreements are completed, eligible users travelling between the EU and participating Western Balkan markets would be able to make calls, send messages and use mobile data without additional roaming surcharges, subject to the applicable fair-use framework. No implementation date or binding tariff change has been confirmed.
For Montenegro, the negotiations concern access to European digital and consumer markets ahead of possible EU membership. The EU is the country’s principal economic partner, and European visitors represent an important share of demand for its hotels, resorts and transport operators. Lower communication costs could improve visitors’ travel experience and make it easier for businesses serving customers across borders to operate.
For telecommunications operators, removing surcharges could reduce some revenue streams while increasing mobile data use and encouraging greater use of connected services. The financial impact would depend on wholesale roaming arrangements, fair-use conditions and the terms agreed with the Commission. Montenegro’s principal mobile operators would also need to adjust their commercial systems and regulatory compliance arrangements.
Opening negotiations does not itself extend EU roaming rules to the region. Each agreement must be finalised, and each participating market must fully align its relevant rules with the EU framework before the EU Council can approve its inclusion. The eventual commercial value will depend on the final terms agreed with telecommunications providers and the implementation timetable.
