The European Commission supported Ukraine's accession to the EU roaming area starting January 1, 2026. Ukrainian subscribers will have the opportunity to use mobile communication in 27 European countries at local rates, while Europeans will be able to call and send SMS to Ukraine for free.
The initiative started in November 2024 when Ukraine appealed to the European Commission seeking alignment of national legislation with European roaming standards. After the publication of the National Commission for Electronic Communications law in June 2025, proposed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a final agreement with the EU became possible.
Experts from the European Commission conducted a thorough review of Ukrainian legislation and confirmed compliance with all criteria for introducing roaming. The European Commission now recommends that the Council of the EU confirm the mutual granting of internal market status for roaming.
The 'roaming as at home' principle and usage conditions
The 'roaming as at home' concept implies that prices for calls, SMS, and internet traffic will remain at internal rate levels, regardless of where the call is made or the message is sent. However, there are conditions related to the 'fair usage' principle.
According to expert Herman Bogapov, the roaming system is designed for users who are temporarily abroad. Subscribers who primarily use their phone at home rather than during trips may be recognized as 'fair use subscribers' and pay standard rates.
Limitations and usage caps for mobile internet
While voice calls and SMS are generally not limited within internal rates, there may be limitations on the use of mobile internet according to the fair usage policy. In case of exceeding the established data volume, an additional fee may be charged, but no more than 1.30 euros per 1 GB excluding VAT in 2025.
Ukraine joins the EU roaming area on January 1, 2026, allowing Ukrainian subscribers to use mobile communication in the European Union at internal rates, while Europeans will be able to communicate for free in Ukraine. This will be an important step in fostering cooperation between Ukraine and the EU, as well as extremely convenient for citizens on both sides.