Brussels, 17/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday Charlie McCreevy, the European Commissioner for the internal market will be proposing to Member States and the European Parliament to complete the internal postal market by 2009 (EUROPE 9282). Total liberalisation of the postal sector should therefore see the abandonment of this final area reserved for traditional public operators since January 2006, namely the right of processing mail weighing less than 50 grams.
Commissioner McCreevy will pragmatically seek a complete opening up to competition while keeping the universal service unchanged. Defined in the first postal directive (97/67/EC), the universal service includes a collection and distribution of post to the homes of all natural and legal persons on working days and not less than five days a week. The Commission concerns about maintaining 2009 as the date for opening up to competition appears to predominate, as does the wish to leave off the universal service, given the high level of sensitivity on the subject in many Member States.
The main stake at play in this liberalisation will now affect funding for the universal service whose modalities will be highly dependent on market entry conditions for new economic operators. On this point, the Commission intends to leave the choice to Member States and not propose a homogenous system EU wide. It is putting forward a list of four options whose closed or open character is open to discussion in next week's debate: appeal to tenders, crossed subsidies and state aid, as well as the setting up of national compensation funds. According to the information we have, granting crossed subsidies, which would allow an operator to transfer profits from competitive activities to activities pertaining to the universal service, has not been envisaged. A mechanism has also been examined which would mean a new entry would take charge of part of the universal service or in the case of refusal, be bound to fund this service. The proposal will authorise Member States to put conditions on the granting of licences to new operators so that these firms contribute to the mechanisms in place for funding the universal service.
In compliance with the second postal directive (2002/39/EC), the Commission will have to present a report before the end of 2006 on the application of the postal directives accompanied, if needs be, by a possible legislative proposal confirming total liberalisation of the sector by 2009. Mid-September, Mr McCreevy gave his support to this idea (EUROPE 9269). This summer two external studies recommended keeping the timetable and provoked differing reactions among postal operators (EUROPE 9242). (mb)