Montenegro could become part of the European Union’s “Roam Like at Home” mobile roaming regime by the end of this year or at the beginning of next year, depending on how quickly the country completes the regulatory and technical steps required for integration into the EU telecommunications framework. The announcement was made by Milan Srzentić, a representative of Montenegro’s Agency for Electronic Communications and Postal Services (EKIP).
Joining the European roaming market would allow citizens of Montenegro to use mobile services across EU member states under conditions similar to those in their home country. In practical terms, calls, SMS messages and mobile data would be billed according to domestic tariffs rather than the higher roaming charges traditionally applied to international travel.
According to EKIP officials, the timeline for accession largely depends on how rapidly Montenegro can align its telecommunications legislation and regulatory framework with EU rules. The government, together with the Ministry of Economic Development and other responsible institutions, is currently working on updating existing laws and introducing new regulations required under the EU roaming framework. Officials expect this legislative alignment to be largely completed within the coming months.
Once the regulatory phase is finished, the process will move into a technical implementation stage involving both domestic and European mobile operators. Telecom companies must adjust billing systems, network configurations and roaming agreements to ensure that users from Montenegro can access services across the EU under the same conditions as local subscribers. Similar implementation phases in countries such as Ukraine and Moldova lasted approximately five months after regulatory approval.
The final timeline will also depend on the European Commission’s formal assessment of Montenegro’s readiness to join the system. Brussels must issue a positive opinion confirming that the country has met all regulatory and market requirements before the regime can enter into force. Montenegrin authorities say they are working closely with European institutions to accelerate this process and complete the necessary preparations as quickly as possible.
Integration into the EU roaming framework represents another step in Montenegro’s broader economic and regulatory convergence with the European Union. The country already participates in the regional Western Balkans roaming agreement, which since July 2021 has eliminated roaming charges between the six economies of the region.
Extending the same principle to the EU would further reduce communication costs for travellers, workers and businesses operating between Montenegro and European markets. The policy would also eliminate the common practice of mobile users disabling data services when crossing borders to avoid unexpected charges, making cross-border communication simpler and more predictable.
For Montenegro, participation in the EU roaming area is viewed as part of a broader digital-market integration agenda linked to the country’s accession process. By aligning telecom regulations with European standards, the government aims to strengthen the competitiveness of the domestic telecommunications sector while improving connectivity for citizens and businesses operating across the European single market.
