According to reports in the Bahrain Tribune, Arab regulators have met to recommend that Arab mobile operators lower international roaming rates. Similar to the European Union’s recent adoption of maximum roaming charges, the Arab Regulators Network (AREGNET) has presented its recommendation for lower roaming rates to the Council of Arab Ministers of Telecommunications and Information Technology.

According to reports, AREGNET’s plan would gradually lower roaming rates to at least a third over a 3-year period.

“The Arab regulators, having considered the proposed self-regulatory principles presented by the mobile industry, believe that the industry has still some way to go in achieving the expectations of the Arab regulators and consequently the level of benefits to be passed to the consumer,” said AREGNET President and TRA General Director Alan Horne, in a statement. “Therefore, we have agreed on a set of recommendations, to be submitted to the Council of Arab Ministers of Telecommunications and Information Technology, to regulate roaming charges and reduce prices paid by consumers to more reasonable levels.”

AREGNET, which includes 21 nations in North Africa and the Middle East, also said that it wants to “leave the door open” for operators to come up with proposals to benefit consumers and lower international roaming rates.