Deutsche Post acquire acceptance for Dutch mail venture
The European Commission approved German post office Deutsche Post World Net’s mail joint venture with Wegener NV to distribute regular mail in the Netherlands. (10/29/2002)
The partially privatized German postal distributor hopes to become the second- largest player in the Dutch postal market after the former monopoly TPG NV.
Deutsche Post has appointed former United Parcel Service executive John Kuiper, 42, to run the venture.
The Commission also approved Deutsche Post’s purchase of Wegener’s door-to- door mailing distributor Interlanden.
The German company is looking to expand its mail operations as the 15-member European Union gradually liberalizes the postal market. Deutsche Post has a guaranteed mail monopoly in the lucrative German market, but the scope of its exclusive delivery license is being narrowed and its license is due to expire at the end of 2007.
As a result, Deutsche Post expects more domestic competition from other EU mail companies in coming years and aims to counter this with expansion abroad.
The transaction was approved under the Commission’s simplified procedure. This is used when neither customers nor rivals have complaints about a deal.
