Main Developments in the European Postal Sector
Study for the European Commission, DG Internal Market by WIK consult
Contents
List of Figures IV
List of Tables VII
List of Case studies IX
Abbreviations X
1 Executive Summary 1
2 Background 13
2.1 European Union in brief 13
2.2 Development of postal policy in the European Union 13
2.3 Evaluating the effects of the Postal Directive 16
2.4 About this study 18
3 Postal services in the European Union 21
3.1 Postal services, delivery services, and terminology 21
3.2 Revenues and employment in the sector 25
3.3 Market structure 26
3.4 Changing role of postal services 28
4 Regulatory developments 29
4.1 Overview of regulatory framework 30
4.2 Universal service 34
4.3 Reserved services 45
4.4 Authorization of competitive postal operators 53
4.4.1 Authorization of CPOs inside the universal service area 54
4.4.2 Authorizations of CPOs outside the universal service area 62
4.5 Tariff principles 67
4.5.1 Scope and methods of price regulation 67
4.5.2 Special tariffs 70
4.5.3 Rate investigations 75
4.5.4 Value added tax (VAT) 76
4.6 Transparency of USP accounts 78
4.6.1 Accounting principles 79
4.6.2 Financial accounts of USP 84
II Main Developments in the European Postal Sector
4.7 National regulatory authorities 86
4.7.1 Adequacy of resources 88
4.7.2 Independence of NRAs 89
4.7.3 Regulatory powers 91
5 Sector developments 93
5.1 Market development 94
5.1.1 Competition and market shares 94
5.1.2 Organization and business strategies 102
5.1.3 Demand structure and development 111
5.2 USP development 118
5.2.1 Overall situation of USPs 118
5.2.1.1 Financial development: revenues and profits 118
5.2.1.2 Employment 127
5.2.2 Mail volumes 133
5.2.2.1 Letter post 133
5.2.2.2 Parcels 141
5.2.3 Price performance 145
5.2.3.1 Public tariffs for letter post 145
5.2.3.2 Special tariffs for letter post 149
5.2.3.3 Public tariffs for parcels 152
5.2.4 Technological and productivity developments 155
5.2.4.1 Technology and automation 155
5.2.4.2 Productivity 158
5.3 Universal service 162
5.3.1 Access to universal service 162
5.3.2 Quality of service 169
6 Specific Policy Issues 177
6.1 Factors in the development of letter post volumes 178
6.2 Drivers of quality of service 184
6.3 Effects of competition 193
Final Report III
7 Conclusions and recommendations 197
7.1 Postal services market 197
7.2 Regulatory developments 198
7.3 Sector developments 205
7.4 Specific policy issues 210
7.5 Recommendations 212
References 215
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