Brussels, 25/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - The Commission adopted a decision against Deutsche Post for having abused its dominant position by intercepting, surcharging and delaying incoming international mail which it erroneously classified as circumvented domestic mail. However, because of the legal uncertainty existing at the time when the infringement was committed, the Commission has imposed a symbolic fine of 1000 euros, while stating that, now the situation has been clarified, behaviour of this kind will entail heavy sanctions. We recall that, in 1998, the British Post Office had referred a complaint to the Commission alleging that Deutsche Post had frequently intercepted, surcharged and delayed international mail arriving in Germany from the United Kingdom. The Commission inquiry established that such mail was not sent by German senders as Deutsche Post claimed and should therefore have been treated as normal international mail.