European mobile phone operators are now required by the European Union to offer their customers limits on roaming fees.

Under the new regulation, mobile operators must offer their customers a monthly cut-off limit of 50 euros ($65) while they are surfing the Internet in other European nations. They can also offer their customers any other limit. Mobile users will now receive a warning when they hit 80 percent of the chosen limit.

"Protection against data roaming bill shocks is a useful step towards building customers' confidence to use mobile networks to surf the Internet when traveling around Europe," said Neelie Kroes, Digital Agenda Commissioner.

"Such confidence is essential if people and businesses are to use the Internet to its full potential".

Mobile customers have until July 1, 2010 to make a choice of what they want their cut-off limit to be. Mobile users who do make a choice will have a cut-off limit at 50 euros by default.

 The EU says the move will guarantee more transparency and protections for consumers, and it will protect them from large bills for using data roaming services.