Postcomm consults on terms and conditions for its standard postal licence

Postcomm today proposed a set of terms and conditions for the standard postal
licence which will enable rival operators to provide mail services in competition
with Consignia. These will give effect to Postcomm’s market opening strategy
which was published on 29 May 2002.
Up to now, with the exception of Consignia’s, all postal licences have been
restricted to pilot schemes of 12 months duration. The new standard licence will
have a minimum life of seven years. Existing holders of interim licences will be
able to apply for a new standard licence so they can continue providing a postal
service.
The proposed terms and conditions are published in a consultation document.
They include a requirement for all postal operators to protect the mail, to set
their own service standards and report on both of these annually. The document
also proposes that licensed operators have arrangements, such as a guarantee,
which would ensure that, if they go out of business, any undelivered mail was
properly dealt with. It also seeks views on whether provision should be included
to guard against overseas monopoly postal operators cross-subsidising their UK
activities with profits from their monopoly businesses.
The consultation document, Licences under the Postal Services Act 2000:
Standard Conditions, can be found on Postcomm’s website,
www.postcomm.gov.uk. Copies are available from Postcomm at 6 Hercules
Road, London SE1 7DB. Responses are requested by 12 September 2002.
Notes for Editors
Postcomm’s market opening strategy, Promoting Competition in UK Postal
Services – A Decision Document, was published on 29 May 2002. It can be
accessed from the Competition section of the Postcomm website. The press
notice issued at the time is in the Media Brief section.