Expensive European Union mobile roaming charges could return overnight for British tourists in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the government has admitted.

Culture secretary Jeremy Wright formally announced the government had rejected a proposal to maintain a ban on roaming fees if it fails to reach a deal with Brussels.

It came a day after the news was revealed in secondary legislation laid before parliament.

Roaming charges have been banned in the EU since 2017, saving holiday makers and business travellers millions of pounds a year in extra charges for using their smartphones in the 27 nation bloc.

In response to an urgent question from Labour, Mr Wright told the Commons the government would ditch the regulation, since it was unable to prevent European network providers from charging UK providers additional fees for their customers’ internet use after Brexit.

“Now that money has to be paid by somebody and if we are saying to the mobile network operators in this country that they may not pass it on to customers who are roaming, they will undoubtedly pass it on to all their other customers instead,” he said.

Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader, said the government and Mr Wright had caved “to the lobbying might of telecoms companies, rather than listen to the voice of consumers who are set to lose out”.

In a note accompanying the secondary legislation – first reported by the Huffington Post – the government admitted it ignored the pleas of consumer groups to keep the current arrangements and had instead “decided not to adopt this proposal”.

It added UK operators had “raised concerns” that limiting roaming costs for customers “would affect the sustainability of certain roaming services. This means that roaming services could be removed altogether from some customers.”

How Brexit will affect your travel to Europe Show all 14 1 /14 How Brexit will affect your travel to Europe How Brexit will affect your travel to Europe Passports British passports that expire after 29 March 2019 will continue to be valid as UK travel documents, but will lose the power that comes with being a European Union passport – notably the right of free movement within the EU27. UK passports issued from 30 March 2019 will have the words “European Union” removed from the cover and the first page (along with the translations into Welsh and Gaelic). But they will still be burgundy. By October 2019, new British passports will have dark blue covers Getty How Brexit will affect your travel to Europe Pets You will still be able to travel to the EU with your pet after Brexit, but it could well get more complicated depending on the status that the European Union decide to apply. 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But it adds that if the UK is given unlisted, third-country status, “owners who wish to travel with their pets from the UK to EU nations will need to discuss their specific preparations and requirements with an Official Veterinarian at least four months prior to their desired travel date AFP/Getty How Brexit will affect your travel to Europe Eurotunnel/Eurostar The Treaty of Canterbury between the UK and France governs the Channel Tunnel link and operations will continue – subject to any local disruption at Folkestone and/or Calais AFP/Getty How Brexit will affect your travel to Europe Driving Motorists, whether taking their own cars or hiring abroad, are likely to need to obtain an International Driving Permit or two; different EU countries are signed up to different treaties, so for a trip embracing Spain and France you would need both types. These are currently sold from a limited number of Post Offices, but the government intends to make them widely available. 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Not only do they use the flights – so do their families and friends PA How Brexit will affect your travel to Europe Flight disruption rights Current European passengers’ rights rules, known as EC261/2004, stipulate high payouts for delays and cancellations that cannot be attributed to “extraordinary circumstances”. Buried in a document called Beyond the Horizon: The Future of UK Aviation, the government says “the UK will not fall below current standards of protection when we leave the EU” AFP/Getty How Brexit will affect your travel to Europe Entry regulations to the European Union From 11pm GMT on 29 March 2019, UK travellers will become “third-country nationals” when travelling to Schengen countries and subject to the standard rules of admission for citizens of nations such as the US, Japan and Australia. That means there must be at least 90 days (roughly three months) left on your passport beyond your intended date of departure. Because third-country nationals can remain in the Schengen area for 90 days, the actual check carried out could be that the passport has at least six months’ validity remaining on the date of arrival Getty How Brexit will affect your travel to Europe Online registration prior to travel – ETIAS From 2021, non-EU nationals who do not require a visa to enter the Schengen area – including British travellers – will need to request prior authorisation to visit Schengen countries. The Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is aimed at reducing the “migration, security or public-health risk” from nationals of visa-exempt third countries, which is what the UK will become after Brexit. It costs €7 for three years AFP/Getty How Brexit will affect your travel to Europe ‘Brexit clauses’ A large number of travel providers – even including National Express coaches – have added “Brexit clauses” to their terms and conditions. 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The explicit standardisation of commodity codes and tariffs associated with trade deals have little relevance to holidaymakers.” Having said that, the government and Kent County Council are planning for possible chaos at Channel ports because of a backlog of trucks in the event of a no-deal Brexit. This would impinge on holidaymakers’ plans PA How Brexit will affect your travel to Europe European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) The EU says: “If you fall ill or have an accident during a visit to another EU country, as an EU citizen you have the right to receive the necessary public healthcare in any EU country under the same conditions as people in the host country.” The EHIC also works in Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Treatment, says the NHS, is “at a reduced cost or, in many cases, free of charge”. From 11pm GMT on 29 March 2019, when the UK ceases to belong to the European Union, British travellers will have no automatic right to use the EHIC. There is no certainty about what may replace it PA How Brexit will affect your travel to Europe Mobile phones From 30 March 2019, the law banning mobile phone firms from charging extra for calls and data in Europe will cease, though operators have yet to set out exactly what will replace it. In theory, mobile phone firms can impose whatever fees they think the market will bear. But Dave Dyson, chef executive of Three, says his firm is “committed to maintain the availability of roaming in the EU at no additional cost following Brexit” AFP/Getty

Mr Wright said regardless of the new legislation, operators that provided services to 85 per cent of British consumers had said they would not bring back roaming charges for travel in the EU.

Last week however, consumer website MoneySavingExpert reported at least 10 firms making up 85 per cent of UK mobile users had only said they have “no plans” to change their roaming policies and would not rule out the return of charges.

Only two providers, Three and its sub-brand Smarty, have categorically ruled out additional costs for its customers travelling in Europe.

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Mr Wright said the government would legislate for retaining limits for using data abroad, currently set at £45 for each monthly billing period.

Operators would also have to inform customers when they reach 80 per cent and 100 per cent of their data usage allowances, he said, adding that they would have to warn users about the risks of inadvertent roaming – for example, on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

There could also be changes affecting roaming for EU visitors to Britain, a committee paper for the European Parliament said in September.