Brussels, 19/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - Several organisations have reacted in a variety of ways to the postal directive presented on Wednesday by Charlie McCreevy, European Commissioner for the internal market (EUROPE 9289). The Commission is proposing the liberalisation of the final segment of the market, which is still controlled by public monopolies, namely, post weighing less than 50 grams.
Test Achats, the Belgian consumers' organisation wrote to the College of Commissioners at the beginning of the week about the matter. It supported competition, “on the condition that it goes in the direction of consumer interest and that high conditions are met in the area of universal service”. It stated that it is, “sceptical about the opportunity of opening up the postal services market now” and suggests “an intermediate stage before a total opening up”. Since 1 January 2006 it explains that, “the share reserved for the traditional operator has been reduced from 100 to 50 grams and we think that it is too early to get rid of this share without firstly assessing what consequences this opening up would have on the universal service”. Test Achats considers that, “total opening up of the market will above all be to the advantage of companies that, on the basis of the number of items sent, benefit from preferential tariffs, and not the consumer, who will not be in a position of negotiating better tariffs but who will, in the end, pay more for ordinary post”. The organisation is afraid that, “getting rid of part of the reserved service will create a problem of funding for the universal service and therefore, in the long term, a worsening in the quality standards of the service”.
European Express Association (EEA), which represents several companies in the cargo transport industry, including DHL, FEDEX, TNT and UPS gave a “favourable” welcome to the European Commission's proposal to complete the postal services internal market by 2009. A press statement indicated that confirmation of the date for the total opening up to competition of this sector would create a regulatory environment that was propitious to competitive service provision. It is now encouraging European legislators to adopt a framework that “strengthens legal security in 25 Member States”. The EEA also considers that the new directive “should keep the express transport market free from any non-necessary administrative obstacles” and provides the opportunity to “distinguish express transport markets from postal markets”.
The “Free and Fair Post Initiative (FFPI), which claims to represent more than 7.1 million companies using postal services (but which does not disclose their names) said in a press release that it was delighted that the Commission had maintained the timetable planned on in the current regulatory framework. It considers that liberalisation of the postal sector will be “beneficial” and allow “greater choice of postal operators, a reduction in costs for sending post and improved quality of services and innovation”. The FFPI also supports the provisions in the legislative proposal that strengthens the “role and competencies of the national regulatory authorities”. (mb)