Keeping in touch with friends and family back home, navigating a European city and checking email could continue to mean high phone bills for travellers for years to come.
While a proposed regulation passed by the European Parliament last Spring sought to end the charges by the end of 2015, it needed approval from the Council of the European Union.
Last week it was announced that the Latvian presidency of the Council must now start negotiations with the European Parliament on "new rules to cut mobile phone roaming fees."
A Council of Europe statement says the new regulation, which covers changes to current roaming legislation, would be a stepping stone to "phasing out roaming fees."
The Council's current plan is to make it cheaper to use a mobile phone when travelling in the EU but with certain limits in place. Once travellers have reached the limit, they could incur charges although the statement says these would be less than current rates.
These changes would be effective from June 2016, if agreed by the Commission and the European Parliament.
The Commission, meanwhile, will be asked to assess by the middle of 2018 what further measures might be necessary.
NB: Mobile image via Shutterstock.