As roaming rates are set to decrease MEPs want EU law to stay up-to-date with the latest trends. Parliament looks at how to secure the resources that drive the EU economy.

The News: The cost of saying 'Hello' - Rare materials strategy

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Good news for holidaymakers:  Mobile roaming tariffs

Recycle our used electronics or depend  on China for rare material imports?

MEPs will vote on Thursday  in parliamentary committee.

And, the rest of today's news  in brief and in pictures.

Hello? Fine thanks and you?  Yes, it was great...

Calling those you love  when on holiday abroad:

a nice but still very expensive thought.  But there is good news

as roaming tariffs are to be lowered  further in Europe this summer.

As of 1 July the cost of calling  from another EU country

will go from 39 cents  per minute to 35 cents,

and the cost of receiving a call goes  from 15 cents per minute to 11 cents.

However, be aware these tariffs  are before VAT, so get calculating!

As for using the internet  on your smartphone,

Roaming data tariffs  are still exorbitant.

Very few bother checking before going  on holiday what it will cost

but they should as the bill  could be steep.

No, one digit more.  €13,900 could be the cost.

So it's a big shock for the family  if they download a lot on holiday.

But here again, the EU  has operators in its sights.

MEPs would like  their tariffs to decrease.

I hope that Commissioner Kroes  will have the courage

to impose the new reductions  for all roaming charges.

It is really essential  when you know the real costs.

In the meantime, smartphone addicts  know that to avoid painful bills

These minerals are at the heart  of an intense trade war.

China controls nearly 97%  of global rare mineral exports.

These raw materials are essential  for producing mobiles,

So how far is Europe prepared  to go to stock up?

We see that the Chinese have already  been in Greenland, in northern Denmark,

The Canadians are very interested  but the Europeans aren't there yet.

So I think the only way forward  is trade agreements.

This strategy does not please  environmentalists.

To reduce dependence  on mineral producing countries,

the idea would be to turn  to recycling our electronic devices first.

We should have a very ambitious  innovation strategy

focusing on resource efficiency,  on recycling,

EU industry is waiting  and wants to avoid being at the mercy

of foreign suppliers at all costs.  EU competitiveness depends on it.

At the height of the Greek crisis,  60% of Europeans are in favour

of taxing transactions  between financial operators

according to a poll of over 25,000  EU citizens on the crisis for the EP.

'No' to match-fixing  and illegal betting.

After 15 charges in an investigation  into match-fixing in Greece,

399 MEPs have signed  a written declaration

condemning corruption in sport  and calling for the Commission to act.

Aid to the poor: Brussels calls for  Member States to take responsibility.

Financed by the CAP,  aid funds for the poor

will go from €500 million  to €113 million in 2012.

The EU Agriculture Commissioner  Dacian Cioloş

urged Germany and the UK  to publicly state

if they wish to take part  in this programme.

The News: The cost of saying 'Hello' - Rare materials strategy

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