Sixteen Postal Operators Sign REIMS III Terminal Dues Agreement
After two years of negotiations European postal operators have reached a new agreement on terminal dues payments replacing the REIMS II Agreement in force since 1997.
The REIMS III Agreement took effect on 1 January 2008 with sixteen European postal operators committing to it. REIMS stands for Remuneration for the Exchange of International Mails. The sixteen posts that are now part of REIMS III are from the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.
Additional posts are expected to sign the agreement, which will remain open for signature for all present and former parties of the REIMS II Agreement and the REIMS East Agreement that participated in its negotiation.
REIMS III continues with quality of service standards much more ambitious than the targets under the EU Postal Directive. The individualized penalties in REIMS III for not reaching the J+1 standard and a target of 93 percent will continue to produce quality of service benefits. Transitional rules have been outlined that will continue to raise targets for those parties that have not yet reached 93% J+1.
A second benefit in the REIMS III agreement is that ensures that terminal dues as stipulated in the EU Postal Directive are cost-based, and are based on regulated domestic tariffs in the delivering country.
The parties to REIMS III have the firm commitment to continue to offer Third Party Access in line with the EU Commission’s 2003 Exemption Decision.
With the REIMS East transitional arrangement and the REIMS and REIMS East IDM Agreements incorporated into the REIMS III Agreement, it is expected that more REIMS East parties will sign the REIMS III Agreement during 2008.
After two years of negotiations European postal operators have reached a new agreement on terminal dues payments replacing the REIMS II Agreement in force since 1997.
The REIMS III Agreement took effect on 1 January 2008 with sixteen European postal operators committing to it. REIMS stands for Remuneration for the Exchange of International Mails. The sixteen posts that are now part of REIMS III are from the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.
Additional posts are expected to sign the agreement, which will remain open for signature for all present and former parties of the REIMS II Agreement and the REIMS East Agreement that participated in its negotiation.
REIMS III continues with quality of service standards much more ambitious than the targets under the EU Postal Directive. The individualized penalties in REIMS III for not reaching the J+1 standard and a target of 93 percent will continue to produce quality of service benefits. Transitional rules have been outlined that will continue to raise targets for those parties that have not yet reached 93% J+1.
A second benefit in the REIMS III agreement is that ensures that terminal dues as stipulated in the EU Postal Directive are cost-based, and are based on regulated domestic tariffs in the delivering country.
The parties to REIMS III have the firm commitment to continue to offer Third Party Access in line with the EU Commission’s 2003 Exemption Decision.
With the REIMS East transitional arrangement and the REIMS and REIMS East IDM Agreements incorporated into the REIMS III Agreement, it is expected that more REIMS East parties will sign the REIMS III Agreement during 2008.
