MAKING CALLS ON your mobile phone while abroad has has become cheaper.

Today the European Union has brought in new retail prices for roaming calls in line with EU rules first introduced in 2007 and amended in 2009.

Consumers who go for the EU-regulated ‘Eurotariff’ will now pay no more than 35 cent per minute for calls made, or 11 cent per minute for calls received, when abroad in the EU.

This is compared to 39 cent and 15 cent respectively for each type of calls under previous rules.

The commission released a report last year that said the current prices did not solve the problem of lack of competition in roaming services.

Neelie Kroes, European Commission Vice President for the Digital Agenda said:

These new price caps will temporarily reduce retail prices for making and receiving voice calls when in another EU country during the coming year. But we have to tackle roaming problems at the root with a long lasting structural approach. The Commission will therefore be coming forward very shortly with comprehensive new proposals for long-term solutions to address the underlying problem of lack of competition in roaming markets.

The new costs for roaming calls will be reduced during the period from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012.

Monthly bills for data downloading are capped at €50 unless the customer agrees otherwise.

Accessing voice mails will be free of charge while roaming.