DPWN Must Reduce Postal Rates by January

The German post and telecommunications regulator has ruled that Deutsche Post, the German national postal service operator, must reduce postage charges for letters weighing up to 200 grams and for postcards with effect from 1 January 2003. This follows a decision by the regulator that the company must reduce charges in all areas of activity in which it has a monopoly by a total of 7.2 per cent by 2007. The company also has monopolies in printed and advertising material. Deutsche Post intends to present its proposed new tariffs to the regulator by mid-August, and the regulator will then examine these over a two-week period. Martin Hellwig, chairman of the German monopolies commission, believes that the reduction planned is too little, and recommends a cut by up to 63 per cent.”