Ireland's proposal that the extra "roaming" cost added to mobile phone calls made abroad could be cut or even scrapped is being considered by EU leaders today.
The proposal lends support to the European Commission's expected announcement next week of an outline regulation to bring down roaming charges, seen as a money-spinner for operators but a bane for business travellers and tourists.
"We will certainly take this up. This certainly has added-value for the European citizens," an Austrian government spokesman said, adding his government, which holds the rotating six-month EU presidency, would see if the plan could be taken further.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern made the proposal to cut or eliminate the charges on using a mobile phone outside a consumer's home country, a spokesman said.
Such a proposal would show citizens the EU was working in their interests, he said. "The Austrian presidency [of the EU] has agreed to an Irish insertion in the conclusions tomorrow to pursue the elimination or reduction of roaming charges across the European Union," the spokesman added.
EU Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding is due to present an update on roaming charges and outline a new regulation to bring down roaming charges on Tuesday.
Ms Reding has said roaming charges are too high. But mobile phone operators say they are already bringing down the fees. The EU executive has said it would not intervene to fix the price of mobile phone calls.
Regulation would need the approval of member states and the European Parliament.
On Wednesday the telecoms industry accused Ms Reding of acting in haste and creating legal uncertainty.