Albania is taking one of its clearest steps yet toward full digital integration with the European Union. If everything goes according to plan, roaming charges between Albania and EU member states could disappear entirely by 2026. For travellers, businesses, and the telecom sector, this is not just another regulatory update. It is a structural shift in how Albania connects with Europe.

The move comes through a newly published draft law from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, opened this week for public consultation. Its goal is simple on paper but ambitious in execution: align Albania’s electronic communications framework with EU rules and introduce the “Roam Like At Home” regime, better known as RLAH.

What RLAH really means for Albania

Under the proposed law, Albanian mobile users travelling across the EU would be able to use their domestic mobile plans for calls, SMS and mobile data without paying extra roaming fees. In practical terms, your Albanian SIM would behave like a local one anywhere in the EU.

The same logic applies in reverse. EU visitors coming to Albania would enjoy the same roaming conditions, removing one of the most common pain points for tourists and business travellers entering the country. For a destination that relies heavily on seasonal tourism and is positioning itself as a growing digital and services hub, this matters more than it might seem at first glance.

Albania already has experience with this model. Since 2021, roaming fees across the Western Balkans have been progressively reduced and effectively eliminated between regional partners. This new step extends that logic beyond the region and into the EU’s single digital market.

Why this law matters beyond roaming

This draft law is not just about cheaper mobile bills. According to its explanatory report, the political objective is explicitly tied to Albania’s accelerated EU integration and alignment with European telecom standards.

One of the most notable changes is the introduction of administrative fines for telecom operators that fail to comply with the new roaming obligations. This is a first for Albania’s roaming regulation and signals a shift from soft alignment to enforceable compliance.

Another key element is the harmonisation of wholesale call termination rates. While highly technical, this adjustment is essential. Without aligned wholesale pricing, zero roaming at the retail level is simply not sustainable. This is the same backbone logic that made RLAH possible within the EU in the first place.

Oversight and enforcement will fall jointly to the Ministry and the Electronic and Postal Communications Authority, aligning Albania’s regulatory structure more closely with EU telecom governance models.

Timeline and consultation process

The draft law is currently open for public consultation for 20 days from publication. During this period, operators, industry stakeholders, consumer groups and experts can submit comments and recommendations.

Once this phase closes, the proposal will move to the Council of Ministers and then to parliament for approval. If adopted without major delays, Albania would be on track to implement full EU-style roaming by 2026, matching the timeline seen in several EU candidate countries that have already begun partial RLAH alignment.

Where Albania fits in the wider roaming trend

Albania is not acting in isolation. Over the past few years, the EU has actively encouraged candidate and neighbouring countries to gradually integrate into its digital single market. Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia have all explored partial roaming alignment models, while Western Balkan countries have already completed the first phase regionally.

What sets Albania apart is timing and intent. Rather than incremental discounts or temporary agreements, this draft law aims directly at full RLAH adoption. That puts Albania closer to EU member states than to most neighbouring non-EU markets in roaming terms.

At the same time, the rise of travel eSIMs and alternative connectivity solutions continues to put pressure on traditional roaming models. Operators know that if roaming remains expensive or complex, travellers will simply bypass it. This law can be read as Albania’s answer to that market reality as much as to Brussels.

Conclusion

Albania’s roaming reform is best understood as a strategic signal. It tells travellers that Albania wants to be frictionless. It tells businesses that cross-border connectivity is no longer an afterthought. And it tells the telecom market that alignment with EU standards is no longer optional.

As roaming becomes less of a revenue lever and more of a competitive baseline across Europe, countries that move early gain trust and relevance. Albania is positioning itself firmly in that group. Whether this model holds long-term will depend on execution, wholesale pricing discipline and regulatory enforcement. But directionally, the message is clear. Albania is no longer treating roaming as a border issue. It is treating it as infrastructure.