The EU Council has approved opening negotiations to extend the EU’s “Roam Like at Home” (RLAH) scheme to Western Balkans partners Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

If adopted, the move would allow citizens travelling between these countries and the EU to use mobile calls, texts, and data without extra roaming charges, in the same way they do at home. The scheme already covers EU countries, the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway), as well as Moldova and Ukraine.

The European Commission will now begin negotiating separate agreements with each Western Balkan partner, which will be tied to existing EU association frameworks. Each country will need to fully align its telecom rules with EU standards before joining the system, with the Commission assessing readiness before final approval.

Officials say the expansion would improve connectivity, support economic integration, and make the benefits of EU integration more tangible for citizens and businesses across the region.