Brussels, 07/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Council of EU Economy and Finance Ministers definitively adopted, on Tuesday, the new directive on postal services which provides for opening up large additional segments of the market to competition from 2003 and 2006, and defines the later stages of the liberalisation process in the sector (see EUROPE of 14 March, p.11). Commissioner Frits Bolkestein stressed that the "implementation of the international market for postal services is one of the major structural reforms that Europe needs". He welcomed the gradual approach adopted for liberalisation of the sector, saying he was "delighted" that the Parliament and Council had "approved evolution that would modernise and give dynamism to the postal sector while ensuring that every European may continue to benefit from a universal postal service".