Brussels, 04/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 4 December, the European Commission gave the go-ahead to public financings by Italy for its main supplier of postal services, Poste Italiane, in compensation for its provision of public services ('the universal service obligation') for 2012-2015 and 2016-2019. This includes basic postal services delivered throughout the country at affordable prices and at certain minimum quality requirements.
In October 2015, Italy notified the Commission of plans to grant public service compensation to Poste Italiane in 2016-2019 of up to €1.05 billion or €262 million a year. Italy also informed the Commission about compensation already approved but not yet paid for public service obligations in 2012-2015, following the extension of an earlier contract. The compensation for 2012-2015 will total no more than €1.34 billion (€335 million a year).
The Commission says the compensation granted to Poste Italiane is based on a robust and conservative methodology, which ensures that it will not exceed the cost of the public service mission. The amount of aid granted decreases significantly over time, taking account of significant efficiency gains that will be made over the period of entrustment of the universal service obligation. (Original version in French by Élodie Lamer)