Given the lack of current public comparisons among European Union countries of prices of postal services, ICP-ANACOM undertook this study to make a systematic and current comparison between a broad range of postal services provided under the universal service by the respective operators of the Member States of the European Union. The comparison of prices is performed using direct exchange rates and purchasing power parity (PPP).
The study was published on the website site of ICP-ANACOM in October 2008, with the following key conclusions:
a) National priority mail ("correio azul") up to 20 grams - the price in Portugal is 2.0 percent and 0.3 percent below the EU27 average (excluding Portugal) compared with or without PPP, respectively;
b) National non-priority mail ("correio normal") up to 20 grams - the price in Portugal is 30.5 percent and 29.5 percent below the EU27 average (excluding Portugal) compared with or without PPP, respectively. Note that this service is available in only about half of the countries surveyed;
c) National Orders up to 2 kg - the price in Portugal is below the average for the EU27 (excluding Portugal), with a deviation of around 14.6 percent in the case of a direct comparison and 2.5 percent when measured using PPP.
