Plans to cut the cost of using mobile phones abroad by up to 70 per cent were unveiled by the European Commission yesterday.
So-called "roaming" charges are currently up to five times higher than the actual cost to telecoms companies of providing the service, said European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
But he insisted it was still not too late for firms to make further reductions in their charges voluntarily and avoid being regulated by Brussels.
"There is still a chance for them to show they are serious about self-regulation," he told a press conference in Brussels.
"If they are serious, the proposals we are making today will have no practical effect."
He added: "Consumers using mobiles within the EU single market will get a fairer deal. Here is a practical application of our approach."
The Commission is determined to act to narrow the gap between domestic call costs on mobiles and much higher international charges.
