EU ministers agreed that mobile phone operators should be obliged to offer consumers a capped roaming rate in addition to a regulated wholesale price, the German presidency said on Thursday.

But Britain maintained its opposition to a proposal that would switch customers automatically to the regulated rate from their existing one and said it had broad support from some countries.

“All ministers considered it to be of central importance for end customers to be offered an obligatory consumer protection rate,” Germany said in a statement.

EU ministers responsible for telecommunications met at the CeBIT technology fair to try to hammer out a consensus on the proposed rules.

The roaming regulation, due to be in place this year, aims to reduce significantly travellers’ phone bills when they are abroad within the 27-member bloc.

Proponents of the regulation say it would lose its bite if customers had to choose to switch because some may not even know that they are eligible for a new rate, while others could find it difficult to get the right information or to switch.

But a UK official said Britain disagrees.

“We say one size does not fit all... We are concerned about this automatic de facto,” the official said, adding it would be better for consumers to decide what is the best deal for them.

Telecoms operators have been vociferously opposed to the regulation, with some arguing that it will affect investment in network infrastructure, while others say that prices have in any case come down.

British operator Vodafone has been especially critical. Its new Passport scheme allows customers to pay 75 pence ($1.45) each time they connect from abroad but then the domestic rate per minute.

Going with the “opt-out” option would effectively switch all Vodafone Passport customers to the regulated tariff, likely to be set around or below the 50 euro cents ($0.66) a minute mark, and which may not end up being the more attractive option.

Mediterranean countries have also been lukewarm to the idea. They tend to get the bulk of tourist travellers from northern Europe and have invested heavily in developing networks that are used to their full capacity only during the holiday periods.

One industry source cited a number of member States against the Commission-backed “opt-out” proposal including Spain, Italy, Malta, France and The Netherlands.