Brussels, 16/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - Markus Ferber (EPP-ED, Germany), rapporteur of the European Parliament on the directive aiming to complete the internal market in the postal sector, stated that he was prepared to move away from his initial position in favour of total liberalisation by 2009, at an internal meeting of his political group on Tuesday 15 May. Mr Ferber hopes to discuss the issue with his colleagues at the forthcoming meeting of the Parliamentary committee on transport, which is due to be held in Strasbourg next week, a source close to his entourage has indicated. Any new date must be “as close as possible to 2009”, and would concern only “certain new Member States” which joined the EU in 2004.
Mr Ferber “has said that he is open to a discussion of this date”, said Christine De Veyrac (EPP-ED, France), in a press release. She added that debates had shown “the misgivings of many EPP-ED MEPs on the opening up of the postal market to competition as soon as 2009”. Along with two other MEPs, one Greek and one Italian, Ms De Veyrac co-signed an amendment postponing the liberalisation of the postal sector 2012. At the meeting of the EPP-ED group, other MEPs of Austrian, Belgium, Luxembourg and Hungarian nationality pleaded along these lines, with certain German and UK MEPs sticking to Mr Ferber's initial position. There is “a defection in the ranks (of the rapporteur) by a good number of MEPs”, a source close to the dossier confirmed. Given the positions of the European Left and the divisions which exist within the EPP-ED and ALDE groups, those in favour of total liberalisation of the postal sector from 2009 are believed to be in the minority at the EP. The question now arising is the duration of the envisaged postponement. “Will it be generalised, à la carte, targeted at the new Member States?”, this same source asked. The Commission recently criticised the attitude of certain Member States over this dossier (see EUROPE 9289). (mb)