Disclosure by CTT of information on letter boxes

Decision on the disclosure by CTT of information on letter boxes

Taking into account:

• That CTT - Correios de Portugal, S. A. (CTT), is the universal postal service provider on national territory until 31.12.2020 [pursuant to paragraph 1 of article 57 of Law No. 17/2012, of 26 April (Postal Law), as amended by Decree-Law No. 160/2013, of 19 November, and by Law No. 16/2014, of 4 April];
• That CTT, as concessionaire of the universal postal service, is bound to publish in an appropriate form, namely at its website, and to regularly supply users with information on general conditions of access to and use of services provided, , including the features of the universal service offered [pursuant to (i) paragraph 1 f) of Base VIII of the Bases of the concession of the universal postal service, approved by Decree-Law No. 448/99, of 4 November, republished in annex to Decree-Law No. 160/2013, of 19 November, and (ii) paragraph 2 of article 11 of the Postal Law];
• That, by determination of 28.08.2014, Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações (ANACOM) defined, pursuant to paragraph 6 of Base XV of the referred the Bases of the concession of the universal postal service, the objectives concerning the density of the postal network and minimum services provided, to be ensured by CTT between 01.10.2014 and 30.09.2017, which include, among others, objectives on the density of postal establishments and on the density of letterboxes;
• That, for the purpose of providing users with better information and greater access to postal services, especially to services that integrate the universal service and other concessionary services, by determination of 06.11.2014, ANACOM instructed CTT to make public and maintain up-to-date information at its website as regards all postal establishments in operation (post stations and post offices), specifically including information on their location, opening hours and services provided;
• That, it order to meet the same objectives, it is also important to guarantee a better provision of information on letter boxes made available to users for the deposit of postal items with CTT’s postal network, which are also deemed to be points of access to the network¹;
• That, by determination of 02.02.2017, the Management Board of ANACOM approved a draft decision(DD) on the disclosure of information by CTT on letter boxes, which was submitted to the prior hearing of CTT and of users, for 20 working days, under articles 121 et seq of the Administrative Procedure Code;
• The analysis of contributions received in the scope of the referred prior hearing procedure, included in the “Report of the prior hearing regarding the DD on the disclosure by CTT of information on letter boxes”,

The Management Board of ANACOM:

• In the exercise of the duties and powers assigned to ANACOM under paragraph 1 b), h) and i) of article 8, paragraph 1 f) and 2 b) of article 9, both of its Statutes, approved by Decree-Law No. 39/2015, of 16 March;
• In the exercise of competences conferred under paragraph 1 b) of article 26 of its Statutes; and
• In pursuing and meeting objectives and principles established in paragraph 2 a) and d) of the Postal Law, and pursuant to paragraph 2 of article 11 of the Postal Law and paragraph 1 f) of Base VIII of the Bases of the concession of the universal postal service,

hereby determines:

A. To approve the “Report of the prior hearing regarding the DD on the disclosure by CTT of information on letter boxes”, deemed to be an integral part of this decision;

B. To determine that:

1. As from 1 July 2017, inclusive, CTT are required to disclose at its website and to keep up-to-date, at least the following information on letter boxes, provided on the public highway or at other public locations, where senders may deposit postal items with CTT’s postal network:

a) Location (with the indication of the city location, urban road, building number, postal code and/or another information that enables an accurate identification of its location);

b) Time of the last collection per week day;

c) Type of postal item/service (standard mail, priority mail, etc.) that may be deposited.

2. Where CTT set up, relocate or remove letter boxes, as well as where the latter are temporarily unavailable due to theft/ robbery or vandalism, the update of the respective information at CTT’s website must take place within one month at the most, from the date when the relevant event occurs.

3. For the purpose of the preceding paragraph, CTT is required to keep records (evidence) of specific situations related to each letter box, under conditions that allow such records (evidence) to be audited or monitored by ANACOM, or by third parties at the request of this Authority, and that clarify which situation occurred, and when.

C. To recommend that the disclosure of information on letter boxes allows searches per parish and municipality to be made, and that a comprehensive list of letter boxes is made available (covering the information referred in point 1 above), in an appropriate format that allows such lists to be downloaded by users.

Consult:

• Comentários dos interessados https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=391018

• Relatório da audiência prévia ao SPD sobre divulgação pelos CTT de informação sobre marcos e caixas de correio https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=391021