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The European Union executive will produce updated evidence that mobile phone users continue to pay between four euros and six euros (2.70 and four pounds) for a four-minute call to a mobile phone in another EU country, four times higher than for national mobile calls.

A Eurobarometer opinion survey found 70 percent of Europeans want Brussels to intervene to ensure that prices for making and receiving mobile calls are not substantially higher than those at home, the Commission said.

The offensive by EU Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding comes in response to strong resistance by telecoms operators, keen to defend their profit margins, and

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some governments against EU regulation to force down roaming charges.

The main mobile phone industry lobby group, the GSM Association, has accused the Commission of violating its own guidelines by failing to consult properly on the regulation and producing a slapdash impact assessment.

Reding announced plans in July for an EU regulation capping mobile roaming charges in the EU's internal market.

The European Parliament and the council of member states are currently discussing the proposal, which Brussels wants adopted before the 2007 summer holiday season.

But France, Germany and Britain, supported by Italy, Austria, Denmark, Sweden and Poland, are seeking changes, ensuring that amendments are inevitable.

The Eurobarometer poll showed 68 percent would support EU intervention to bring down roaming charges for text messages.

In extreme cases, roaming prices can exceed 12 euros (8 pounds) for a four-minute roamed call, the Commission said.

Mobile phone operators argue they are already bringing down roaming costs. Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom have already announced plans to reduce roaming charges and Spain's Telefonica said it would offer free incoming calls to customers when they travel in Europe.