The European Commission has opened bilateral negotiations with six Western Balkan countries to include them in the EU's "roam like at home" scheme.

The talks involve Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. They also cover Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. If completed, travelers will make calls, send texts and use data without extra charges.

The EU Council approved opening the negotiations in June 2026. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the move during her October visit to the region. The agreements build on Stabilization and Association Agreements. These support stability and economic integration.

Once the agreements are finalized and the partners fully align their regulations with EU roaming rules, the Commission will invite the Council to extend the EU roaming area. Each country negotiates separately.

The Commission proposed opening the talks on February 25. The Council approved the mandate on June 4. The decision appeared in the Official Journal on June 11. Serbia's government adopted a conclusion last Friday.

For Bosnia and Herzegovina, citizens still pay roaming charges in the EU. The key condition is a new law on electronic communications. The country must align with the European Electronic Communications Code and the EU Roaming Regulation.

The BiH Communications Regulatory Agency said it can issue sub-legal acts only after that law passes. Those acts regulate fair use and wholesale prices. The BiH Ministry started forming a team in summer.

The team is appointed by the Presidency of BiH on proposal of the Council of Ministers. The draft law was in public consultations in June. After the Commission assesses compliance, a joint body decides on opening the roaming market.

The Commission said in August that no deadline is foreseen. Within the Western Balkans, roaming was abolished on July 1, 2021. The regional agreement was signed in Belgrade in 2019.

Since October 2023, some operators have voluntarily reduced mobile internet prices between the EU and the region. The current roaming zone covers the 27 EU states. It also includes Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

From January 1, 2026, Moldova and Ukraine joined. That makes 32 countries. Entry would replace voluntary deals with binding rules for all operators.