Mobile phone ruling is good news for consumers - 2010-06-08

Labour MEPs have welcomed a European court ruling that has rejected attempts by major mobile phone operators to challenge an EU cap on the cost of using mobile phones abroad.

Speaking immediately after the ruling, Arlene McCarthy, the Euro MP who steered the mobile roaming law through the European Parliament as Chair of the Consumer Protection Committee, said: "Today's judgement from the European Court of Justice shows we were right to act against excessive charges by mobile operators for using your phone in another EU country.

"It is now time for the mobile operators to show that they have learned their lesson and will charge fair, competitive prices to their customers. The operators should give consumers a fair deal, not try to wreck laws that we had to introduce to protect our constituents."
 
Catherine Stihler, Labour's spokesperson in the European Parliament on consumer affairs, added: "This ruling is good news for consumers. Mobile phone companies were given ample opportunity to act on the cost of using phones abroad, but in the end it took EU action to bring prices down."

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