EU's Monti welcomes swift Italian opening of time-certain postal market
European competition commissioner Mario Monti said he welcomes the Italian government decision to open up its market for day, or time-certain delivery of hybrid postal services.
In December, the commission said Italian legislation reserving this electronic mail service to the incumbent postal operator, Poste Italiane, was in breach of EU anti-trust rules.
Postal items created electronically arrive at a predetermined date or time under this hybrid service, it said.
“I welcome Italy’s willingness to promptly implement the commission decision. This is a successful resolution of a case involving the difficult issue of scope of the postal monopoly,” Monti said.
“The Italian government’s swift opening of the market for day or time-certain delivery services has proven that progress in the postal sector can come though other means than long and protracted litigation,” he said.
All private operators, subject only to a general authorisation, can provide the new hybrid electronic mail service under the new rules, the commission said.
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