Brussels, 14/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - The announcement of an agreement prior to the draft directive to complete the internal postal services market, carried by the German daily Handelsblatt on Monday 14 May, was immediately denied by Brussels-based diplomats. When asked by EUROPE, the German presidency rebuffed the claim. “It's just not true,” a French source also said.
The German daily spoke of a compromise being reached in Council on the basis of the following: - making 2011 the date for opening the last possible reserved sector up to competition - mail of less than 50 grammes; - introducing a principle of reciprocity under which postal operators in a member state, where there is not full liberalisation, cannot compete in other member states; - a further one-year's grace for some Central and Eastern European member states and Greece.
In October 2006, the Commisson proposed to complete liberalisation of the postal sector by 2009 while retaining the universal service (see EUROPE 9289). In the European Parliament, Markus Ferber (EPP-ED, Germany), in his draft report, suggested restricting the scope of the universal postal service to unitary postal mailings by individuals after full opening up to competition in 2009 (see EUROPE 9403). The EP transport committee vote is scheduled for June, with first reading adoption of its opinion by the Parliament in July. In the Council, the appropriate ministers will debate this matter at their meeting on 6-8 June. (mb)