The OJ has published on 29th June the Regulation (EC) No 544/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009 amending Regulation (EC) No 717/2007 on roaming on public mobile telephone networks within the Community and Directive 2002/21/EC on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services.

The ministers of the 27 EU Member States formally adopted the new EU roaming rules proposed by the European Commission last September and approved by the European Parliament in April The new EU roaming rules will lead to further reductions of up to 60% on consumers' roaming bills as of 1 July 2009 in all 27 EU Member States.

First measures will have effect in retail and wholesale charges for regulated roaming SMS messages. With effect from 1 July 2009, the retail charge (excluding VAT) of a Euro-SMS tariff which a home provider may levy from its roaming customer for a regulated roaming SMS message sent by that roaming customer may vary for any roaming SMS message but shall not exceed EUR 0,11.

No later than 30 June 2009, home providers will inform all their roaming customers individually about the Euro-SMS tariff, that it will apply from 1 July 2009 at the latest to all roaming customers who have not made a deliberate choice of a special tariff or package applicable to regulated SMS messages, and about their right to switch.