European postal operators express support for fair level playing field

Further to the European Commission high level conference on Postal services on 24 June, 11 signatory postal operators from Belgium, Cyprus, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland and Slovakia express their support for the next steps towards Full Market Opening (FMO) of the European postal market under the balanced conditions embodied in the third postal directive.

The two key principles for the signatory operators are first and foremost the creation of mechanisms able to ensure the financing of the Universal Service Obligation (USO) all over the EU territory under FMO conditions, and the establishment of a true level playing field in all aspects, including social conditions.

In this perspective, the Member States have the responsibility to ensure balanced national regulatory frameworks that take into account the two mentioned principles.

Confronted with an uncertain economical environment where the question of financing or sharing the universal service is still under debate, the signatory operators call for special attention to the sustainability of the universal service and the postal market in its entirety.

A study carried out in 2007 by the independent consulting firm Oxera demonstrated that the fundamental policy question to be asked is how the universal service obligations are to be financed.

The 11 signatory operators will continue to contribute to the implementation process in a positive and constructive manner, and with strong vigilance upon safeguarding the provision of universal service and the implementation of a level playing field.