Groupe La Poste becomes a Limited Company with 100% Public Ownership
La Poste changed its status on Monday, 1 March to become a limited company with 100% public ownership. “La Poste will be able to develop, true to its mission of public service,” said Jean-Paul Bailly, Chairman of the Group.
This transformation opens the way for a capital increase of 2.7 bn Euros through the State and the Caisse des Depots et Consignations, for La Poste to provide funding for its modernisation and development of its activities.
On Saturday (26 February), the official decree from the Ministry of Economy transforming La Poste into a public limited company was published. “La Poste is a public limited company,” the decree stated.
In October 2009, 2.3 million French people voted in an unofficial ‘anti-privatisation’ ballot organised by a lobby group comprising 62 unions, left-wing political parties and social organisations. More than 90% of the participants rejected the restructuring plans reflecting people’s attachment to the public postal service.
In January 2010, French MPs finally approved the new postal law transforming La Poste into a limited company as of 1 March and then opening up the domestic mail market to competition in January 2011. The vote in the National Assembly was the final stage in the passage of the postal law through the French Parliament over the previous few months.
On the occasion of this change of status, La Poste published in national newspapers, regional and the weekly press a communication campaign which includes the successive logos of the Group.