Brussels, 05/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - A European Commission official said recently that it has come as no surprise that the eleven Member States that want to postpone for two years, from January 2011 to January 2013, the complete opening of their postal markets (Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia) have notified the European Commission of their intentions, in line with Directive 2008/6/EC completing the liberalisation of postal services (see EUROPE 9592). Under the new EU rules, member states had until 27 August 2008 to officially submit their views. The member states in question can review their decision at any time and open their postal markets before 2013, explains the Commission. The official list of countries wanting to postpone opening of their postal markets will be published in the EU Official Journal in a fortnight.
Directive 2008/6/EC foresees: 1) opening up to EU competition of the processing of letters weighing less than 50g by 1 January 2011; 2) extra time, until 1 January 2013, for eleven member states (compulsory notification before 27 August 2008); and 3) a reciprocity clause authorising member states that open their markets by the end of 2012 to refuse access to operators of countries still holding a public monopoly in 2011 and 2012. The Council foresees several mechanisms (national compensation funds, public tender and state aid) to fund universal public service obligations. Universal public service obligations require post to be collected and delivered at least five times a week everywhere in the country. (M.B/transl.fl)