The Council of the European Union has approved a proposal initiated by the European Commission to include an agreement on a free telephone roaming zone with Ukraine in the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine, the Ministry of Digital Transformation reported on Telegram on Tuesday.

"We are approaching mobile roaming with the EU. In order for Ukrainians not to pay additional fees for communication in Europe, and Europeans in Ukraine, the EU Council approved the proposal (of the European Commission) and gave the green light for a bilateral solution," Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Development of Education, Science and Technology, Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov wrote on Telegram.

According to him, the price of calls to relatives in Europe for Ukrainians will decrease. Operators will not charge UAH 30 per minute of conversation. There will be no need to change SIM cards while traveling in Europe. In addition, consumer rights will be protected under EU rules.

It is noted that further the final decision approved by the EU Council should be approved by the EU-Ukraine Trade Committee. In accordance with the agreement, the committee will have to make a joint decision on the provision of mutual internal market regime for roaming.

Earlier it was reported that the inclusion of Ukraine in the EU free roaming zone is one of the key actions of the revised Priority Action Plan. This plan is a roadmap for the full implementation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area between the EU and Ukraine and the further integration of Ukraine into the EU Single Market.

Currently, EU and Ukrainian telecom operators offer affordable or free calls between the EU and Ukraine on a voluntary basis. Thanks to this agreement, about 4 million Ukrainian refugees in the EU have an accessible connection. Voluntary measures were recently extended for six months, and the new procedure now also applies to calls to fixed-line numbers in Ukraine, as well as to new types of operators.