Making calls from your home country to other EU countries

Mobile calls, texts and surfing the net whilst in another European country have been subject to the same tariffs as those applied in Belgium since 15 June 2017, when European regulations put an end to expensive roaming tariffs in Europe. For example, suppose you are making a call using your mobile phone from Spain to Belgium or France. In both cases you will be charged the national tariff, the same as for a mobile call in Belgium to another Belgian number.

Unfortunately, making calls from your home country to another EU country is not covered by this directive. This can sometimes have rather unpleasant consequences, i.e. it is more expensive in Belgium to make a mobile call to Poland than it is in the Netherlands.

However, since 15 May 2019, these tariffs are also covered by European regulations. Making calls, from a landline or mobile phone, from your home country to another European country now costs maximum 19 euro cents per minute, texts maximum 6 euro cents, excluding VAT. These maximum tariffs also apply, for example, if you make a call from your landline in your second home in France to Belgium. Contact your telecom operator for more information on the tariffs that apply to you.

Europeans travelling abroad have been readily using their mobile phones since roaming costs were abolished. However, a degree of caution is advisable, because sometimes you might be roaming without being aware of it and will consequently be billed for roaming charges. Discover when.