Brussels, 20/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - “The Commission has been asked by Parliament and Council to confirm whether retaining the original 2009 timetable (for full opening of the postal sector in Europe to competition) was appropriate. If we take an honest look at all the available facts and data I feel that we must admit that we ought to stick to the agreed timetable,” said internal market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy on 13 September, speaking at the Austrian Post's “Post.Evolution” event in Brussels. He went on, “I will ask my fellow Commissioners to deliver an ambitious, but balanced, proposal that aims at full market opening in 2009 and that preserves the universal service obligation”. On this last point, the Commissioner said that postal services were “a Service of General Economic Interest” and that “the assurance of a high quality and affordable universal service is crucial for social and territorial cohesion in the European Union”. Nonetheless, disagreeing with those who “think we should take a break” or who “need more time to prepare”, Mr McCreevy said it was “vital” that the internal postal services market for service be completed to secure “further improvements” and sustain “the progress and results achieved to date”.
One of the challenges of the future legislative proposal will be how to fund universal service obligations. Among the possible options is state aid, with, as a backdrop, the Monti/Kroes package on competition and the Altmark ruling (ruling C-280/00) which sets out the conditions under which Member States can compensate an operator responsible for a public service (see EUROPE 8611). Another possibility is to use national compensation funds in the Member States where there is a public monopoly and to which the private operators competing with the historic operator would contribute. This begs the questions of the contribution to be made by economic operators and the relevant markets related to the universal service obligation. In Brussels, Mr McCreevy announced his “new proposal for a postal directive” would appear in the coming weeks. Sources agree that this proposal is currently under inter-service consultation in the Commission. It is expected that it will be adopted by the College of Commissioners in late November or early December. In line with European legislation (directives 97/67/EC and 2002/39/EC) which expire at the end of 2008, the Commission must present a report accompanied by a possible legislative proposal before the end of 2006. In July, the publication, by the Commission, of two studies on the implementation of the postal directives backing full opening of the sector to competition, brought immediate reaction from postal operators, opposing to this suggestion (see EUROPE 9242).