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A Brussels dispute emerges over roaming-price caps
As European Commission discussion moved into its political phase in 2006, Viviane Reding’s proposal to reduce roaming charges faced opposition from other commissioners.
Wholesale limits or retail intervention
The proposal would cap the charge for using a mobile phone elsewhere in the EU at 30 percent above the wholesale call price. Peter Mandelson and Günter Verheugen were reported to have concerns about international trade treatment and the effect on operator competitiveness.
The debate also turned on whether action should stop at wholesale charges. Industry officials argued against retail limits, while supporters said wholesale savings had not reliably reached customers and that ending charges for receiving calls abroad required retail regulation. The reported objections and possible legislative fixes were unresolved at the time; they were not a final Commission decision.