On 22 May 2024, Ukrainian Parliament adopted the Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on the Implementation of the European Union legislation on roaming”, which ensures Ukraine's accession to the EU-Ukraine common mobile-phone roaming area and the provision of roaming services to Ukrainians in EU countries under the "Roam like at Home" regime.
Once fully integrated, Ukrainian citizens traveling to any of the 27 EU member states will be able to use their national mobile tariffs without incurring additional fees for roaming services. Similarly, EU residents visiting Ukraine will enjoy the same rights, accessing roaming services without extra charges.
This law will be implemented by amending and aligning current legislation related to roaming and electronic services with EU regulations.
Ukraine's regulator, the National Commission for the State Regulation of Electronic Communications, Radio Frequency Spectrum and Postal Services (NCEC), will further implement the law by setting unified marginal fee rates for voice traffic to mobile and fixed-line networks from EU numbers or Ukrainian numbers roaming in the EU.
Additionally, the law gives the NCEC broader powers to request information from entities operating in the field of electronic communications or related sectors, and implement a procedure to provide information requested by and in cooperation with the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) and the Agency for Support of the BEREC.
The law also amends the terminology of the applicable legislation and introduces other changes that will enable the proper functioning of the “Roam like at Home” initiative.
At present, Ukrainians are already able to access roaming services in the EU under temporary preferential conditions provided by European telecom operators due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Joining the “Roam like at Home” initiative will grant permanent access to these services.
This law is yet to be signed by the President and will come into force the day following its official publication. The legislation will be enacted on the day specified in the relevant EU-Ukraine Association Committee’s decision.
