FRENCH BLAME COMMISSION FOR POSTAL SERVICES LIBERALISATION DEADLOCK

FRENCH BLAME COMMISSION FOR POSTAL SERVICES LIBERALISATION DEADLOCK.
From EUROPEAN REPORT, January 20th, 2001
There remains considerable bad feeling in both the EU Council of Ministers and the European Commission over the continuing deadlock on the draft Directive for further postal liberalisation. On 16 January, French Industry Minister, Christian Pierret blamed European Internal Market Commissioner, Frits Bolkestein, for the Council’s failure to agree a common position at the 22 December Telecommunications Council. Mr Pierret said that if it were not for the inflexibility of Mr Bolkestein, the French Presidency compromise text would have been accepted. He was pessimistic about the chances of a deal being struck during the Swedish EU Presidency, too. Meanwhile, other Member States are claiming the talks broke down because France refused to accept an imposed deadline of 2009 for full liberalisation. The Swedish Presidency is currently consulting with all the Member States to try and find common ground on this highly divisive issue.
Copyright 2001 European Report. Source: Worldreporter [Trade Mark] – Asia
, 20th January 2001