European Union ministers adopted on Thursday rules that will slash the price of making mobile phone calls abroad in the 27-member bloc, after a year of wrangling and heated debate, the EU's German presidency said.

The rules, which the European Commission said would cut so-called mobile "roaming" charges to a quarter or a fifth of what consumers now pay, are expected to come into force by the end of this month.

"Today is a good day for Europe's consumers, because we hope that we will get the roaming thing finally off the table ... so that European consumers will be able to telephone cheaply during the holidays," German Economy Minister Michael Glos told reporters on his way into the meeting of EU ministers. (Reuters)