EU lawmakers approve full mail competition from 2011
A committee of European Union lawmakers on last Tuesday 18th December approved EU plans to open the bloc’s 88 billion euro (USD130 billion) postal markets to full competition, setting the stage for final approval next month.
The European Parliament’s transport committee voted 37 to 2, with six abstentions, in favour of market liberalisation.
EU member states have approved the proposal and it will be debated before the full parliament on Jan. 30, with a vote set for Jan. 31. If it passes unchanged, as expected, the directive will become law.
The market for letters weighing up to 50 grams is currently shielded from competition. Mail above that weight is fully liberalised. The new measure would liberalise all mail delivery.
The new directive takes effect in 13 countries in 2011. The 12 new member states, along with Luxembourg and Greece, have until 2013.
During the hearing on Tuesday, the communist-led GUE/NGL bloc and Green Party members had sought to adopt amendments, including scrapping the measure. They were outvoted on 35 amendments and withdrew another 37.
It would be even harder to make changes before the full parliament and that is not expected by parliamentarians.
The measure has sparked protests by postal workers in many EU nations, especially France, who fear job losses.
