Brussels, 20/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - Over the next few weeks, EU Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier will unveil a roadmap on parcel delivery, following on from a Green Paper just under a year ago, which aims to solves the problems in this sector. It is not out of the question that new legislation will be introduced over the next eighteen months.
Addressing the heads of European postal operators at a PostEurope forum in Brussels on 18 September, the Commission said that there were too many problematic deliveries and the costs were too high (between five and eight times more expensive for foreign deliveries)when online trading is expected to increase by 10% during the next three years. Measures to deal with this problem will be set up in the roadmap in October.
The Commissioner said that the way he saw it, legislation would not be needed if the stakeholders were proactive and responsible, and the roadmap will focus on industry initiatives.
It will be for the Commission and member states to ensure better consumer protection and ensure that the current EU directives on consumer rights and the complaints procedures set out in the postal directive are properly implemented.
Barnier said he wanted regulators to have better understanding of the market, for which they will need to cooperate with companies. Shortly after application of the roadmap, the Commission will unveil research into parcel delivery services.
Eighteen months later, the Commissioner will assess progress in the improvements made by the industry and introduce new measures where necessary, added Barnier. (MD/transl.fl)