Mobile Data Roaming (European Union) Bill 2021

A

BILL

TO

restrict mobile data roaming charges from service providers to UK customers while in European Union territories; and for connected purposes.

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Section 1: Definitions

1. For the purposes of this Act a “service provider” is an organisation providing mobile telecommunications services, including SMS messaging, telephone calls and mobile data connection to an end user where the contract is engaged in the United Kingdom;
2. For the purposes of this Act, “European territories” shall refer to the countries which have acceded to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, as defined in Schedule 1.
3. For the purposes of this act, “Roaming fees” are additional charges above the standard charged under a customer contract.

Section 2: Mobile Roaming

1. A service provider may not charge additional fees (known as Roaming fees) over and above the standard charges per the contract of services to a customer while in the European territories;
2. For the avoidance of doubt, a service provider must ensure that an end user is able to access their mobile phone and all related connectivity in European territories as they would in the United Kingdom without incurring additional fees.
3. The punishment for such an offence under Section 2(1) will be Level 3 on the standard scale of fines per the Criminal Justice Act 1982 for each offence that occurs.

Section 3: Territorial Extent

1. Schedule 1 of this Act has effect.

2. The Secretary of State may, by regulation, amend Schedule 1 with countries that accede to or leave the European Economic Area following the commencement of this Act.

3. Regulations laid under paragraph 2 of this section shall be subject to negative procedure in the House of Commons.

Section 4: Short title, commencement and extent

1. This Act may be cited as the Mobile Data Roaming (European Economic Area) Act 2021.

2. This Act shall come into force on the 1st January 2022.

3. This bill shall apply to the entirety of the United Kingdom

Schedule 1 - Members of the European Economic Area

Austria

Belgium

Bulgaria

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Reference

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1982/48/contents

This bill was submitted by the Rt. Hon Earl of Bournemouth AP PC KBE FRS, MP for South East London on behalf of the Liberal Democrats, and is sponsored by the Progressive Workers Party and the Labour Party

A01

Replace section 4(2) with “This Act shall come into force upon the successful negotiation of a reciprocal agreement with the European Union, where members of the European Economic Area gain the ability to access their mobile phone and all related connectivity in British territories in return for British citizens being granted these same rights in European Economic Area territories.”

This amendment was submitted by the Baron of Ross-on-Wye.

Vote on A01 by 2nd October at 10pm BST.