Deutsche Post accused of abusing its dominant position on the market

Deutsche Post, the German postal service, has been accused by competitors of abusing its dominant position on the market. PIN, the company’s largest competitor in the field of the licensed delivery of letters in Germany, says that it uses Deutsche Post to deliver letters that are to be sent to addresses outside the area in which it operates. According to PIN, some of these letters are delivered only after a delay of several weeks. At present, only 4 per cent of letters delivered in Germany are delivered by private mail companies.

PIN has also accused the German telecommunications and postal regulator (RegTP) of delaying plans to open up the market for political reasons. According to the current plans, the monopoly on postal services in Germany is to be ended at the end of 2007. However, competitors of Deutsche Post believe that this may be delayed until 2009.