A postponement to the full opening up of the internal market of postal services from 01 January 2009 to 31 December 2010 has received approval from the European Parliament (EP). The measure was passed on 11 July 2007, with a majority of 512 votes in favour, 155 against and 13 abstentions. At the same time the Parliament said that ''Member State shall ensure that the financing of the universal service is guaranteed at all times in a fully liberalised postal market'', and proposed a system of reimbursement in cases of theft, loss or damage of postal items.
Although the Parliament was in agreement with the European Commission that ''it is appropriate to end the use of the reserved area and special rights as a way of ensuring the financing of the universal service'', it considers that, taking into account the situation of the postal market in Member States, the definitive deadline for ending exclusive rights in the postal sector should be the end of 2010.
Liberalisation will result in the ending of the monopoly (reserved area) held by the public postal operators, an area which covers correspondence weighing under 50 grams.
It should be remembered that the Postal Service Directive (97/67/EC) of 1997 progressively reduced the limits of the reserved areas, initially to correspondence weighing less than 350 grams, then in 2002 to 100 grams and finally to 50 grams on 01 January 2006.
The proposal approved by the EP also covers the issues of guaranteeing the universal service, creating a system of consumer reimbursement and compensation in cases of theft, loss or damage of postal items, of service affordability and of working conditions in the postal sector, which employs 5 million people across the European Union.
Further information:
- Postal services: open to competition by 2011, but subject to safeguards http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/056-8955-190-07-28-909-20070706IPR08902-09-07-2007-2007-true/default_en.htm
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- Liberalisation of EU postal services https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=490404
- Postal services https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=4611
- Postal Directive Committee https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=109879
