Brussels, 26/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - FFPI (Free and Fair Post Initiative), association representing providers of postal services and their users, welcomed the European Commission's decision to sentence Deutsche Post to a fine, even though symbolic, for having abused its dominant position. The German operator was accused of having surcharged and delayed in-coming international mail, justifying its action by claiming it was a question of circumvented domestic mail (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.11). FFPI considers that this type of conduct seriously affects competition, as well as clients, and underpins the urgency of drawing up an effective normative framework to regulate the sector. As long as no regulatory system is in place, the postal services market will be victim of distortions to competition. "This vague situation cannot be tolerated", said FFPI president, Mr. Bodson. "FFPI fully backs the European Commission in its efforts at having rules of competition respected and at promoting the completion of the an open and dynamic Single Market in the postal sector", he added.