Telecom rules

The European Commission adopted a proposal on 1 September 2023 to incorporate roaming into the EU-Moldova Association Agreement. Once all necessary steps are completed, Moldovan visitors to the EU will be able to use their mobile phones under the same price conditions as in their home country, while travellers from the EU will benefit from the same rights when visiting Moldova.

The team that curates news, announcements, stories and other publications about EU4Digital and Eastern Partnership digital activities invites you to take stock of the growing number of ways you can access this content – in particular, a brand-new Twitter account : come and join the conversation!

Want to find out more about digital developments, future priorities and the policy agenda for Eastern partner countries? The EU4Digital Initiative is organising two events dedicated to the topic of digital transformation in the Eastern Partnership. On 14 November 2023, the Digital Conference for the Eastern Partnership will provide a space for wider discussion and anyone who is interested in participating will be welcome. On 15 November 2023, invited members of the EU4Digital Phase II Steering Committee will meet to discuss the flagship regional EU4Digital Initiative and projects.

Telecoms operators can apply to participate in an auction in August 2023, for introducing 5th generation (5G) internet technology in Georgia. The country’s regulatory authority for broadcasting and electronic communications, the Communications Commission announced the auction on 6 July. The deadline for applications is 28 July 2023 at 17:00 local time (GMT+4).

Over 4 million Ukrainian refugees have been registered across the European Union since 24 February 2022. In the face of this humanitarian crisis, telecom operators based in Ukraine and in the European Union share the conviction that displaced Ukrainians should continue to have affordable access to connectivity to stay in touch with family and friends and to access the Internet and reliable sources of information. An agreement between EU and Ukrainian telecom operators, supporting affordable or free roaming and international calls, was extended on 9 July 2023 for another year.

To strengthen digital development and innovation in Moldova, representatives of the EU4Digital Facility and the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) visited the country on 14-16 June 2023. The visit provided an invaluable opportunity to engage with key stakeholders and explore initiatives that are advancing the Republic of Moldova’s digital landscape.

Looking for news, resources and other information about digital transformation in the Eastern Partnership (EaP)? EU4Digital invites you to explore its newly relaunched website: https://eufordigital.eu/! With the relaunch, the EU4Digital Facility offers its large digital community updated content and an improved user experience.

Telecoms operators from the European Union and the Republic of Moldova have signed a joint declaration, to lower roaming charges for businesses and citizens travelling between the two areas. The European Commission and Moldovan authorities facilitated the voluntary declaration, published on 31 May 2023, reflecting the shared goal to ensure a long-term roaming arrangement and bring Moldova closer to the EU Single Market. The EU supports this process and Moldova’s integration into the EU roaming regime through the EU4Digital Initiative.

The EU4Digital Telecom Rules stream participated in the 14th meeting of the Eastern Partnership Regulators for Electronic Communications (EaPeReg) Independence of Regulators and Broadband Expert Working Group (IRB EWG). Held on 10-11 March 2023, the event explored broadband network development and the model for independent national regulatory authorities (NRAs) in the EaP region.