The European Union has voted in favour of a ban on mobile roaming charges.

Coming into effect on 15 June 2017, the ban applies to voice calls, text messages and mobile data across EU and EEA countries.

In the meantime, limits on roaming charges will be introduced on 30 April 2016, capping surcharges to €0.05 per minute for outgoing voice calls, €0.02 for text messages and €0.05 per MB for data usage.

The rules do allow for minimal surcharges beyond 2017, but only in exceptional circumstances – if operators can prove that they are unable to recover their costs due to the ban, or in the case of abuses such as permanent roaming.

The law also covers open access to the internet, obliging internet providers to treat all traffic equally, by not blocking or slowing down the delivery of content from selected senders or to selected receivers, unless this is necessary to obey court orders, comply with laws, prevent network congestion or combat cyber-attacks.

“Thanks to this agreement, Europe will also become the only region in world which legally guarantees open internet and net neutrality,” said Spanish MEP Pilar del Castillo Vera in a debate before the vote. “The principle of net neutrality will be applied directly in the 28 member states. It also ensures that we will not have a two-speed internet.”