UK consumers face higher EU roaming charges post Brexit - report

British tourists will have to pay mobile phone operators’ roaming charges when they travel in the EU after Brexit, the Guardian reported, citing a leaked analysis paper from the European parliament.

From June this year consumers will be able to call, send SMS or surf on their mobile at the same price they pay at home when travelling in the EU, after years of negotiations between the EU and mobile phone companies.

However this will not apply to UK holidaymakers and business travellers from 2019 unless the British government strikes a favourable deal with the union.

The document was drawn up earlier this month by the European parliament’s committee on industry, research and energy, and endorsed by MEPs, the Guardian report stated.

The analysis states that “regulation (EU) No 531/2012 on roaming will no longer apply with respect to the UK, impacting business and other travellers to and from the UK” and that “transitional arrangements will be necessary”.

In recent years, the EU has slowly forced phone operators to reduce their roaming charges – although there was opposition to this from the UK government when the proposal was first mooted.

In 2014, before roaming charges started to be reduced, 20% of UK mobile users travelling to the EU faced higher than usual bills for usage, according to data from Uswitch. The average charge added to bills was £61, and 17% of those affected faced bills of £100 or more.