Key data
| Regulation | Council Decision (EU) 2026/1329, of 4 June 2026 |
|---|---|
| Official reference | OJ:L_202601329 |
| Publication | 11 June 2026 |
| Entry into force | Not specified — negotiation process ongoing |
| Affected parties | Telecommunications operators, businesses and citizens traveling between the EU and the Western Balkans |
| Category | European Regulation |
| Countries involved | Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia |
Businesses with teams deployed or frequent activity in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia currently pay roaming charges that can represent a significant operational cost. The Council Decision (EU) 2026/1329, published on 11 June 2026, authorizes the European Commission to initiate bilateral negotiations with each of these six countries to conclude sectoral agreements on roaming in public mobile networks.
The objective is to replicate in these territories the conditions of the European Economic Area, where roaming has been free since 2017. It is not an agreement in force: it is the starting gun for negotiations that, according to the regulation itself, may extend over several years.
What does this regulation establish?
The Decision formally authorizes the opening of negotiations with a view to concluding bilateral sectoral agreements between the European Union and each of the six Western Balkan countries listed. The purpose of those future agreements would be roaming in public mobile communications networks.
The six countries to be negotiated with are:
- Albania
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Kosovo
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Serbia
The negotiations are bilateral: a separate process will be opened with each country, not a single multilateral agreement. This means that the timelines and final conditions could differ between countries. The regulation does not set conclusion dates or specific tariffs: those details are precisely the subject of the negotiations.
The reference framework is the roaming regime in force within the EEA, where users can use their national tariff without additional charges when traveling. Extending this model to the Western Balkans requires agreements on technical, regulatory and tariff reciprocity between operators on both sides.
Economic and operational impact
The economic impact of this regulation has two very different time horizons:
Short term (while negotiations are ongoing): no change in current roaming charges. Businesses and citizens will continue to pay the roaming charges in force when traveling or operating in these six countries. There is no obligation for immediate adaptation for any party.
Medium to long term (if agreements are concluded): the potential savings are considerable for businesses with presence or frequent deployments in the region. Today, roaming outside the EEA can mean significant surcharges on calls, data and SMS. The elimination of these surcharges would directly reduce the telecommunications bill of any business with activity in these markets.
For telecommunications operators, the impact is more profound: they will need to negotiate interconnection agreements, review their wholesale tariff structures and adapt to the regulatory frameworks of each country. This involves technical and legal adaptation costs that have not yet been quantified, as they will depend on the outcome of the negotiations.
The negotiation process may extend over several years, so strategic planning is more relevant than immediate action for most businesses.
Who does it affect?
- Telecommunications operators with presence in the EU or in the six Western Balkan countries: they are the central actors in the negotiation process and those who will need to adapt their tariff and technical structures.
- Businesses with employees deployed frequently in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia: would benefit from the reduction or elimination of roaming costs.
- Businesses with subsidiaries or commercial activity in these countries: lower cost in mobile communications for their local and international teams.
- Advisors and consultants who travel regularly to the region to provide services.
- Citizens who travel for personal or professional reasons between the EU and these six countries.
- National telecommunications regulators of the Member States: will need to coordinate with the Commission during the negotiation process.
Practical example
A Spanish engineering company has a team of five technicians who travel monthly to Serbia to supervise an infrastructure project. Currently, each deployment generates roaming bills for data use and calls outside the EEA, with surcharges that can be substantial depending on the operator and volume of use.
If negotiations between the EU and Serbia conclude successfully and a roaming regime equivalent to that of the EEA is established, those five technicians could use their usual Spanish tariffs in Serbia without additional cost, just as they do today when traveling to France or Germany. The savings would depend on the volume of use and current tariffs from each operator, but the elimination of the international roaming surcharge is the stated objective of the agreements.
However, given that negotiations have just begun and may last several years, this company should not expect changes in the short term: the most useful action now is to monitor the progress of negotiations and review current telecommunications contracts to optimize costs in the meantime.
What should businesses do now?
- Identify if you have activity or frequent deployments in any of the six countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia. If the answer is yes, this regulation affects you in the medium term.
- Review your current roaming cost in these countries with your operator. Quantify how much you pay annually in roaming outside the EEA: that is the potential savings if the agreements are concluded.
- Monitor the progress of negotiations through the EU Official Journal and European Commission communications. Bilateral agreements will be published when concluded.
- If you are a telecommunications operator, initiate a regulatory and technical impact analysis for each of the six countries. Negotiations may progress at different rates in each case.
- Do not make investment or contracting decisions based on the immediate application of free roaming: the agreements are not in force and the conclusion timeline is uncertain.
Frequently asked questions
When will free roaming with the Western Balkans come into force?
There is no set date. Council Decision (EU) 2026/1329 only authorizes the opening of negotiations, not the application of any agreement. The negotiation process may extend several years before the agreements are concluded and come into force.
Which Western Balkan countries is the EU negotiating roaming with?
The EU will negotiate bilateral roaming agreements with six countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. These are separate negotiations with each country, not a single multilateral agreement.
What should telecommunications operators do now?
Operators should initiate a regulatory and technical impact analysis for each of the six countries involved. Although the agreements are not in force, the start of negotiations is the right time to anticipate changes in wholesale tariff structures and interconnection requirements.
Does this regulation affect non-telecommunications companies?
Yes, although indirectly. Businesses with employees deployed or frequent activity in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia would benefit from savings in roaming costs if the agreements are concluded. In the short term, there is no change in current tariffs.
Is it the same as free roaming within the EU?
The stated objective is to extend conditions similar to those of the European Economic Area, where roaming is free. However, agreements with the Western Balkans are bilateral sectoral agreements, not an automatic extension of the EU roaming regulation. The specific conditions will depend on the outcome of each negotiation.
Official source
Consult full regulation in official source
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202601329