What was announced?
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Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed that Brussels has completed its technical assessment and has forwarded a draft decision to the EU Council.
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Once adopted, Ukraine will join the EU’s Roam-Like-at-Home (RLAH) zone – a privilege that, until now, has been reserved exclusively for member states and EEA partners.
What changes for consumers?
| Feature | Today (voluntary operator agreement) | From 2026 (full RLAH status) |
|---|---|---|
| Voice calls | Discounted but still surcharged | Charged exactly as domestic calls |
| SMS | Fees vary by operator | Billed at home-tariff rate |
| Mobile data | Capped “EU roaming” bundles | Domestic GB allowance applies |
| Quality rules | Best-effort | Same speed/quality as at home |
| Emergency access | 112 calls only | 112 + free SMS/location data |
Bottom line: no more bill-shock for the 3–4 million Ukrainians who travel or live in the EU at any given time.
Why is Brussels willing to open the club?
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Ukraine’s rapid telecom alignment – Kyiv has already transposed key provisions of the EU’s roaming and wholesale-market directives.
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Network-security guarantees – operators agreed on lawful-intercept and cybersecurity clauses demanded by the Commission.
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Positive track-record – since 2022, a voluntary accord between EU and Ukrainian MNOs has delivered stable, low-cost roaming without market disruption.
The road ahead
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Council vote (Q4-2025) – simple majority of member states required.
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Implementation period (six months) – operators file updated roaming reference offers, adjust billing systems and issue consumer notices.
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Go-live target: 1 January 2026.
Parallel talks: export quotas
Shmyhal added that Kyiv is still negotiating post-2025 agricultural quotas with the Commission. Restoring pre-war tariff ceilings could cost Ukrainian exporters ≈ US $800 million per year; Ukraine is seeking transitional “growth bands” for sensitive products.
“For millions of Ukrainians, Europe will literally be one phone call away—at no extra cost. It’s another concrete step toward full EU integration.”
—Denys Shmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine
