Cabinet Called on to Join EU’s no-roaming Charges Deal

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Any deal would have significant implications for Switzerland’s largest telecom, Swisscom. (© KEYSTONE / GAETAN BALLY)

The cantonal government of Graubünden has demanded that the cabinet sign Switzerland up to European Union rules abolishing roaming charges.

Without such an agreement, the Swiss tourist industry is at a disadvantage, the Graubünden government said in a letter sent last week to Swiss president, Doris Leuthard, according to the Swiss News Agency.

The letter stated that Switzerland’s partners in the European Free Trade Area (EFTA) who are also not in the EU – Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland – had all signed up to the deal, which came into force in June. This has put Switzerland at a competitive disadvantage, particularly with neighbouring countries, it added.

Tourists visiting other Alpine nations can use their mobile phones without incurring additional costs but must generally pay roaming fees if they choose to holiday in Switzerland.

Negotiations with the EU must be considered “a priority and begin immediately”, the Graubünden government said in its letter.

About Swissinfo

SWI swissinfo.ch – the international service of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Since 1999, swissinfo.ch has fulfilled the federal government’s mandate to distribute information about Switzerland internationally, supplementing the online offerings of the radio and television stations of the SBC. Today, the international service is directed above all at an international audience interested in Switzerland, as well as at Swiss citizens living abroad.

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