EU may open up postal markets by 2011

European Union countries are likely to agree to a delayed opening of the bloc’s postal markets to full competition, a French minister said yesterday.

The European Commission has proposed stripping away the remaining barriers to competition from 2009 but the measure needs approval from the bloc’s member states and the European Parliament.

The measure has sparked protests by postal workers in many EU nations, particularly France, who fears job losses.

EU transport ministers meet in Luxembourg on Monday with the aim of reaching a political agreement.

Under parliament’s first-reading compromise, full liberalization would not start until 2011 with the 12 mostly eastern European states that joined the EU in 2004 and after having until 2013 to implement the reform.

Parliament also effectively allowed Luxembourg and Greece to delay liberalization until 2013.

The EU assembly’s compromise is expected to form the basis of the text adopted by ministers.

The market for letters weighing up to 50 grams is currently shielded from competition. Mail above that weight is fully liberalized.

The measure contains safeguards to ensure a range of everyday services, such as letter collection and delivery, known as the universal service, is maintained even in the most thinly populated areas.

Parliament also inserted a reciprocity clause so a country that is fully liberalized does not have to authorize competitors from states that have yet to open their own sectors.

Swedish and British postal markets are already fully liberalized.

Germany and the Netherlands are due to open theirs to full competition next year.

The sector employs 5.2 million people, who deliver 135 billion items a year to the European Union’s 490 million consumers.