The EU’s Roam Like At Home (RLAH) regulation is one of the most significant consumer protections in telecommunications. Since June 2017, EU and EEA residents can use their home mobile plan in any other EU or EEA country without paying extra roaming surcharges. This guide explains exactly how the regulation works, which countries are included and excluded, the fair use rules that apply, and — critically — who does and does not benefit.
Key facts up front:
- RLAH has been in force since June 15, 2017, based on EU Regulation 531/2012 as amended.
- The 2022 revision (Regulation 2022/612) extends RLAH through June 30, 2032, and adds quality of service requirements.
- 32 countries are covered: 27 EU member states, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein, plus Ukraine and Moldova (from 1 January 2026).
- Switzerland, the UK (post-Brexit), and micro-states such as Monaco and Vatican City are not covered.
- RLAH applies only to subscribers with EU/EEA-issued SIM contracts. Travelers from outside the EU using a non-EU SIM do not benefit.
For a broader comparison of all travel connectivity options, see 4 Ways to Stay Connected Abroad. For definitions of terms used throughout this article — EEA, PLMN, wholesale cap, and others — see the Glossary of Mobile and eSIM Terms.
What Is Roam Like At Home (RLAH)?
Roam Like At Home is a regulatory framework that prohibits mobile carriers licensed in EU and EEA member states from charging their domestic subscribers additional roaming surcharges when those subscribers travel within the EU/EEA zone.
In practical terms: if your carrier is based in, say, Germany, France, or Sweden, and you travel to Italy, Spain, or any of the other covered countries, your plan’s calls, texts, and data allowances apply as if you were at home. The carrier cannot add a per-minute roaming fee, a per-SMS surcharge, or a per-megabyte data roaming charge on top of your normal plan rate.
The legal foundation is Regulation (EU) 531/2012 on roaming on public mobile communications networks. This regulation was progressively amended — most importantly by Regulation (EU) 2017/920, which abolished the final retail roaming surcharges from June 15, 2017. The regulation was then substantially revised and extended by Regulation (EU) 2022/612, adopted in April 2022 and largely applicable from July 1, 2022, which runs through June 30, 2032.
RLAH did not happen overnight. The EU progressively reduced roaming charges over many years before the full abolition:
- 2012–2016: declining price caps on calls, SMS, and data
- June 15, 2017: retail roaming surcharges fully abolished for EU/EEA subscribers
For general context on how international roaming works technically — the AA.12 agreements, IPX infrastructure, and wholesale pricing — see International Roaming Explained.
Countries Covered and Excluded
The 32 Covered Countries
RLAH applies within the European Economic Area (EEA) plus two additional countries integrated by individual agreement:
27 EU member states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
3 EEA non-EU countries (through separate EEA Agreement): Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway.
2 additional countries integrated from 1 January 2026: Ukraine, Moldova.
On 1 January 2026, Ukraine and Moldova became the first non-EU/non-EEA countries integrated into the EU roaming area, following Council decisions adopted on 25 July 2025. This is a unique arrangement — both countries have individual roaming integration agreements with the EU, separate from EEA membership.
When you travel between any two of these 32 countries and your carrier is based in one of them, RLAH applies.
Countries Explicitly Not Covered
Several European countries are frequently mistaken for being covered, but are not:
| Country | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | Not covered | Not an EEA member; voted against EEA membership in 1992. Switzerland has its own national telecom regulation. |
| United Kingdom | Not covered (as of January 1, 2021) | Left the EU and EEA on Brexit. Regulation 531/2012 no longer applies to UK-licensed carriers. |
| Monaco | Not covered | Not an EU or EEA member state. |
| Vatican City | Not covered | Not an EU or EEA member state. |
| San Marino | Not covered | Not an EU or EEA member state. |
| Andorra | Not covered | Not an EU or EEA member state. |
| Turkey | Not covered | EU candidate country; unlike Ukraine and Moldova, Turkey has no individual roaming integration agreement with the EU, so candidacy alone does not grant RLAH rights. |
Switzerland is a common mistake. It is surrounded by EU countries and has many bilateral agreements with the EU, but it is not part of the EEA and is not covered by RLAH. Travelers crossing into Switzerland from France or Italy on an EU SIM will typically trigger standard international roaming charges on their plan. Check your carrier’s policy before crossing the Swiss border.
Who Benefits: Eligible Contracts
RLAH protects EU/EEA-licensed carrier subscribers traveling within the EU/EEA. Specifically:
- Your contract must be with a carrier that holds a license under an EU or EEA member state’s regulatory framework.
- The subscriber (you) must be a customer of that carrier — RLAH does not depend on your nationality or residency, only on where your carrier is licensed.
- Both prepaid and postpaid contracts issued by EU/EEA carriers qualify, provided the plan is a domestic plan (not a roaming-specific or visiting-travelers plan).
Who Does NOT Benefit from RLAH
Travelers from outside the EU using a non-EU SIM card do not benefit from RLAH. This is a firm boundary.
If you travel to France using a SIM from the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, the UK, India, or any country whose carrier is not licensed under an EU/EEA framework, RLAH does not apply. Your carrier will charge whatever international roaming rate applies under its own commercial agreements — which may be significantly higher than domestic EU rates.
For non-EU travelers visiting the EU, the practical alternatives are:
- A travel eSIM covering EU/EEA countries — typically the most convenient option, installable before departure. See Your First Travel eSIM for setup instructions.
- A local prepaid SIM purchased in an EU country — cost-effective for longer stays but requires in-store registration (Germany, for example, requires in-person identity verification for all SIM purchases).
- Home carrier international roaming day pass — check your carrier’s published pass options and destination coverage before relying on this.
The Pre-Trip Connectivity Checklist covers what to confirm before departure regardless of which option you choose.
The 4-Month Rule and Fair Use Policy
RLAH is designed for travelers and people who genuinely live in one EU/EEA country and occasionally travel to others. It is not intended to allow someone who has permanently relocated to another EU country to continue using a cheaper home-country contract indefinitely as if they were still a domestic user.
To address this, the regulation includes a fair use policy (FUP) framework.
The Stability-of-Link Rule
A carrier may apply a surcharge if both of the following conditions are met:
-
The subscriber’s presence in the visited country exceeds their presence at home. The carrier analyzes the subscriber’s usage pattern. If over a rolling period (typically assessed over the most recent 4 months), the subscriber is spending more time roaming in other EU/EEA countries than at their home-country network, this is a signal.
-
The subscriber cannot demonstrate signs of a stable link to their home country. Indicators of a stable link include: the subscriber having an active contract at the home-country address, regular voice call activity in the home country, consistent use of the home network when at home, and similar patterns. If the subscriber shows no signs of being genuinely based in the home country, the carrier may conclude there is no stable link.
Only when both conditions are present together — predominantly non-domestic presence and no stable link — can the carrier apply an additional charge. Carriers cannot apply a surcharge based on duration alone without also assessing the stable-link indicators.
The 4-Month Practical Benchmark
While the regulation does not set a fixed 4-month rule as a hard cutoff, the Commission’s implementation guidelines treat a period of more than 4 consecutive months of predominantly roaming usage as a threshold that can prompt a carrier’s assessment. Carriers are required to give the subscriber two weeks’ written notice before applying any surcharge, and the subscriber can dispute the assessment.
Who Typically Triggers the FUP
In practice, the FUP is not triggered for:
- Tourists and leisure travelers making multi-week or multi-month trips.
- Business travelers frequently moving between EU countries.
- Students doing an exchange semester abroad, who typically retain clear links to their home country.
It can be relevant for:
- Expats who have moved permanently to another EU country but kept a home-country SIM for cheaper rates.
- Retired people who spend the majority of the year abroad.
Data Caps Formula
RLAH abolished retail roaming surcharges, but the regulation does not require carriers to provide unlimited roaming data at all price points. Instead, a minimum roaming data volume must be included in domestic plans at no extra charge, calculated using a formula tied to wholesale roaming costs.
The Regulatory Framework
The data cap formula is established by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/2286, which defines the method for calculating the minimum data volume that must be made available for roaming.
The formula is based on the regulated maximum wholesale roaming rate (the price a home carrier pays the visited network for data):
IDV (Included Data Volume) ≥ 2 × (domestic plan monthly price excl. VAT ÷ regulated wholesale data cap per GB)
This is the exact formula defined in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/2286, Annex I. The factor of 2 is explicit in the regulation — the minimum included roaming data is at least twice the simple price-to-cap ratio. As the wholesale cap decreases over time (it has been progressively lowered since 2017), the minimum included data volume increases proportionally.
Evolution of Wholesale Data Caps
The regulated wholesale data cap has fallen significantly:
- 2017 (from 15 June): €7.70/GB
- 2018: €6.00/GB
- 2019: €4.50/GB
- 2020: €3.50/GB
- 2021: €3.00/GB
- 2022 (January–June): €2.50/GB
- 2022 (from 1 July, Regulation 2022/612): €2.00/GB
- 2023: €1.80/GB
- 2024: €1.55/GB
- 2025: €1.30/GB
- 2026: €1.10/GB
- 2027–2032 (through 30 June 2032): €1.00/GB
As the wholesale cap falls, the formula produces a higher minimum included data volume for the same plan price. This is why the practical impact of the data cap rule has become less visible over time — most typical plans now cover a substantial amount of roaming data under the formula.
Practical Implications
- Carriers cannot charge a per-GB roaming surcharge on data consumed within the calculated minimum volume.
- Beyond the minimum, carriers may restrict further roaming data use (for example, by throttling speed or requiring the purchase of a roaming add-on), but they cannot charge a rate that exceeds the regulated wholesale rate plus a small permitted margin.
- Unlimited domestic data plans: carriers with unlimited domestic plans must allow at minimum the volume calculated by the formula at roaming; they cannot cut off roaming data entirely, but they are not required to provide unlimited roaming data unless the formula calculation results in a very large minimum.
If you are planning heavy data use (streaming, remote work) during an extended EU trip and you have an EU SIM, check your carrier’s published roaming data policy to understand whether they apply a speed throttle or volume cap after the regulated minimum.
Quality of Service Guarantees (Reg 2022/612)
The original RLAH framework focused on price. Regulation 2022/612 added explicit quality of service requirements that came into force in 2022.
Same Generation Network Access
Under Regulation 2022/612, carriers and their roaming partners are required to ensure that subscribers can access the same generation of mobile network when roaming as they would at home, provided the visited network supports that generation.
In practice:
- If you have a 4G plan at home and travel to a country where the roaming partner operates a 4G network, you must be able to access that 4G network for data — the carrier cannot restrict you to 2G or 3G connectivity.
- If you have a 5G plan and travel to a partner network operating 5G, you should be able to access 5G, subject to coverage at your location.
This requirement prevents a situation where subscribers are silently downgraded to a slower network generation while roaming, even though faster infrastructure is physically available.
Emergency Services Access
Regulation 2022/612 also strengthened requirements around access to emergency services (112 and other national emergency numbers) while roaming, ensuring that emergency calls function regardless of the subscriber’s roaming status.
Transparency Requirements
Carriers are required to provide clear information about roaming conditions, including any data volume caps or speed limitations that apply when roaming, before or at the time the subscriber enters roaming. This is typically delivered via an SMS notification when you arrive in a foreign EU/EEA country. These notifications often include links to your carrier’s roaming information page — worth checking if you are unsure about your plan’s roaming terms.
Travelers Using a Non-EU SIM in the EU
This section is for travelers from outside the EU/EEA — from the US, UK, Japan, Australia, or elsewhere — visiting EU countries with a SIM card issued by a non-EU carrier.
RLAH does not apply to you. Your carrier is not subject to EU roaming regulation. You will be charged according to your home carrier’s international roaming agreements and pricing, which is set entirely by commercial terms, not by EU regulation.
What This Means in Practice
Your options when visiting EU countries with a non-EU SIM:
Option 1: Home carrier roaming (day pass or included benefit) Many major non-EU carriers offer international day passes or trip passes that give you access to your domestic-style allowance while abroad. The quality and pricing vary widely. Check your carrier’s current international roaming page — specifically:
- Whether the EU country you are visiting is covered
- Whether it is a pay-per-use charge or a flat-rate pass
- Whether the pass activates automatically on first network contact (triggering a charge at the airport) or requires manual activation
See International Roaming Explained for a detailed breakdown of the three main roaming pricing models.
Option 2: Travel eSIM A travel eSIM installed before departure gives you local-rate data access without triggering home-carrier roaming. Major travel eSIM providers offer European regional plans covering 40+ countries. You keep your home SIM active for calls and messages while routing data through the travel eSIM.
- Install the eSIM profile before you leave home (requires a Wi-Fi connection).
- Keep Data Roaming off on your home SIM while in the EU.
- Use VoIP apps for calls if your home SIM is on a non-EU plan without included EU calling.
For a step-by-step installation guide, see Your First Travel eSIM.
Option 3: Local prepaid SIM Buying a SIM card in an EU country gives you domestic rates for that country. Note that most EU countries require in-person identity verification — you will need your passport. Germany’s Telekommunikationsgesetz requires full ID verification for all SIM purchases, prepaid or postpaid (in force since July 2017). Other EU countries have similar requirements.
For a full side-by-side comparison of these options including setup effort, cost considerations, and device requirements, see 4 Ways to Stay Connected Abroad.
Post-Brexit UK and Switzerland Situations
United Kingdom
The UK formally left the EU and its single market on January 1, 2021. From that date, UK-licensed mobile carriers are no longer subject to Regulation 531/2012 or any of its amendments, including Regulation 2022/612.
Consequences for UK subscribers traveling to the EU:
- UK carriers are free to set their own roaming policies for EU travel.
- As of publication, the UK market is divided: some operators have voluntarily maintained free EU roaming as a commercial feature (typically as part of higher-tier plans), while others have reintroduced roaming surcharges.
- Policies have changed multiple times since 2021 and continue to vary by carrier, plan tier, and destination.
What to check before EU travel with a UK SIM:
- Your carrier’s current EU roaming policy page
- Whether your specific plan tier includes EU roaming or requires an add-on
- Any fair-use data caps that apply to EU roaming under your plan
- Whether there is a per-day charge, a per-month charge, or usage-based billing
There is no regulatory guarantee of free EU roaming for UK subscribers. Treat it the same way a US or Australian traveler would: verify before departure, and have a backup option (travel eSIM or local SIM) if your carrier’s policy is expensive.
EU subscribers traveling to the UK: RLAH does not cover the UK. An EU-licensed subscriber traveling from Germany to the UK will have their carrier apply international roaming rates for UK usage. Some EU carriers include the UK in broader international bundles, but this is a commercial decision, not a regulatory requirement.
Switzerland
Switzerland is not and has never been an EEA member. The country’s voters rejected EEA membership in a 1992 referendum, and Switzerland’s relationship with the EU is governed by a separate set of bilateral agreements that do not include RLAH-equivalent roaming provisions.
Switzerland has its own national telecommunications law (Fernmeldegesetz / Loi sur les télécommunications), which includes some consumer roaming protection measures under its 2021 revision, but these are not equivalent to RLAH.
In practice:
- EU subscribers traveling to Switzerland will trigger international roaming charges on their home carrier.
- Swiss subscribers traveling to EU countries are subject to their Swiss carrier’s commercial international roaming terms.
- Non-EU travelers visiting both Switzerland and EU countries should plan their SIM/eSIM strategy to cover both — many European travel eSIM plans include Switzerland alongside EU countries, but verify the specific plan’s country list.
If you are planning a trip that includes both EU countries and Switzerland (for example, a tour through France, Switzerland, and Italy), check your connectivity plan carefully. A travel eSIM that covers both EU and Swiss territory avoids the issue entirely — use the SimFinder travel search to filter by destination countries and find plans covering your full itinerary.
FAQ
See the FAQ items above for answers to:
- Which countries are covered by RLAH
- Whether RLAH applies to non-EU SIM cards
- How the fair use policy works
- The data cap formula and quality of service obligations
- The validity of RLAH through 2032
- The UK post-Brexit situation
- Best options for non-EU travelers visiting the EU
Related Guides
- International Roaming Explained — How home-carrier roaming works technically and the three main pricing models
- 4 Ways to Stay Connected Abroad — Full comparison of roaming, local SIM, travel eSIM, and portable Wi-Fi
- Your First Travel eSIM — Step-by-step guide to installing and activating a travel eSIM
- Pre-Trip Connectivity Checklist — What to verify and configure before departure
- Glossary of Mobile and eSIM Terms — Definitions for RLAH, EEA, IPX, and related terms