EU parliament set to vote on roaming charges

MEPs will next week vote on plans to force mobile phone groups to slash their roaming charges.

A draft European commission law aims to crack down on high fees for making mobile phone calls abroad.

However, a lingering dispute remains over how exactly proposed new price caps should work.

While the commission and member states such as Germany believe the lower regulated tariff should apply automatically to mobile phone users, countries such as Britain and France want customers to voluntarily “opt in” to the new price regime.

"We need to ensure that any deal agreed is the right one," said UK industry minister Margaret Hodge.

Parliament’s industry committee will vote on the commission proposals on Wednesday during a busy week of committee meetings as MEPs’ return from the Easter break.

On Thursday, the internal market committee is due to vote on proposed legislation banning the marketing and importation of cat and dog fur.

The move follows a long-running campaign by animal rights campaigners and UK Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson.

Many member states have introduced their own specific legislation against cat and dog fur but a regulation adopted by the commission last November aims to create a harmonised approach.

Parliament will be in the spotlight for another reason next week as it hosts the 2007 energy globe award ceremony.

The assembly’s president, Hans-Gert Poettering, is due to join American actor Martin Sheen, star of TV’s West Wing, and Bee Gees musician Robin Gibb, to present environmental prizes.

The industry committee is hosting a roundtable debate on energy issues on Wednesday and Thursday as part of the event.

Elsewhere, external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner will appear before the foreign affairs committee on Wednesday while, on the same day, civil liberties committee members will vote on progress made in agreeing an EU-wide decision on combating racism and xenophobia.

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