On July 22, 2025, the Council of the European Union made an important decision to include Moldova in the “Roam Like at Home” zone starting January 2026. This decision was a logical continuation of a similar step taken for Ukraine on July 14. The relevant information was published on the official website of the EU Council.
Under the new conditions, citizens of Moldova and Ukraine residing in the EU, as well as Europeans visiting these countries, will be able to make calls, send SMS, and use mobile data free of charge. Additionally, the agreement will ensure roaming users the same quality and speed of mobile connection as in their home country, along with free access to emergency services.
The EU Council emphasized that this decision will promote Moldova’s economic integration into the European market, which is one of the main objectives of the association agreement signed in 2016.
Recall that on July 14, the Ukrainian government also approved the opening of the roaming sector with EU countries, a necessary step for implementing the “roaming visa-free” regime from the beginning of next year.
“The European Commission has agreed to grant Ukraine the so-called ‘roaming visa-free’ – joining the EU’s Roam Like at Home policy. We expect this to take effect from January 1, 2026. Today, the government approved the decision of the Ukraine-EU Association Committee on the mutual opening of the roaming sector. This is part of the procedure to finalize the acquisition of roaming visa-free,” said former Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
Unified Roaming with the EU
On February 14, 2023, the European Commission proposed including the abolition of paid roaming for Ukrainians in the EU association agreement. In April, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved a document allowing the conclusion of an agreement to join the “roaming visa-free” regime. According to representatives of the Ministry of Economy, this decision creates conditions for Ukraine’s integration into the EU internal market regime in the roaming sector.
In July 2025, 22 European telecom operators and 7 Ukrainian operators (including 3Mob, Data Group, Kyivstar, Lifecell, Ukrtelecom, Vega White, Vodafone Ukraine) extended the agreement on affordable roaming for Ukrainians abroad for another year.
On November 17, 2023, draft law No. 10265 concerning the implementation of European legislation norms in the roaming sector was registered in the Ukrainian parliament. On May 22, 2024, the Verkhovna Rada adopted this draft law in the second reading, and on June 17, President Zelensky signed it.