Mobile roaming: New plans to cut cost of using phones in Europe

While full proposals have yet to be outlined, one possible outcome is a single market for mobile costs (see our Mobile Roaming and Data Roaming guides to cut costs now).

This means you would pay the same to make a call, send a text or use the mobile internet in France or Spain as you do in the UK. Similarly, residents of France or Spain, as well as other EU countries, would pay the same prices in the UK as they do at home.

However, this plan is a long way from coming to fruition. The full details still need to be outlined, and even then they would need to be backed by the European Parliament.

A decision is expected in summer 2014, with plans due to come into effect after.

The proposal was put forward by the commission's vice-president Neelie Kroes, who urged MEPs to support her idea.

The cost of using your mobile in other EU countries has been steadily falling over recent years.

From 1 July, the following prices will be in operation (current prices in brackets):

• Data (to use the internet): max €0.45 per megabyte (€0.70)

• Outgoing calls: €0.24/min (€0.29)

• Incoming calls: €0.07/min (€0.08)

• Texts: €0.08/text (€0.09)

Cut roaming costs

Even though prices are falling, you can often use your phone without charge in a free wi-fi zone.

You can also send messages via the web for free (using services such as iMessage, BlackBerry Messenger or WhatsApp) and make calls for nothing with special apps. For full info and more cost-cutting tips, see our Mobile Roaming guide.