The European Commission (EC), the executive agency of the
European Union (EU), has put forward a proposal to open EU postal
markets fully to competition by 2009, the EC announced on
Wednesday.
Full market opening means that national operators within the EU
will no longer have a monopoly on mail below a certain weight
(currently a maximum of 50 grams), known as the "reserved
area".
According to an EC press release, EU member states will be
allowed a flexible choice of means to finance universal service
provision or the possibility to share out the universal service
obligation between operators.
"With full market opening in 2009, we can look forward to more
innovation, better services and improved cost-efficiency," EU
Internal Market and Services Commissioner Charlie McCreevy was
quoted as saying by the press release.
"I firmly believe that completing the Internal Market for postal
services is vital for securing further improvements and for
sustaining the progress and results achieved to date," he
added.
The proposal maintains the current obligations on EU member
states to ensure a high-quality universal service comprising at
least one delivery and collection five days a week for every EU
citizen.
Currently the 1997 Postal Directive covers the postal services
in the EU. This created a regulatory framework, which guarantees EU
citizens, a universal service, while gradually limiting the scope
of the reserved area (initially mail under 350 grams, amended in
2002 to 100 grams and reduced in 2006 to 50 grams).
As a matter of fact, a number of EU member states have already
opened up their market to full competition or have firm plans to do
so before the 2009 target date.
(Xinhua News Agency October 19, 2006)
