ComReg opens up Irish postal market futher
The regulator for postal services has reduced An Post’s so-called “reserved” services, opening up more of the market to competition.
From January 2004, An Post will no longer have any monopoly over cross-border mail posted in Ireland, ComReg said today.
This includes mail to Northern Ireland, Britain, Europe and the rest of the world.
The regulator began opening up postal markets to competition in 1999 and around 55% of the letter post market will be liberalised by next January.
Initially items of correspondence weighing less than 350g and priced at less than €1.90 remained within An Post’s monopoly. This has subsequently been reduced to 100g and €1.44.
ComReg also announced today that letter and parcel companies, including couriers, with an annual turnover in excess of €500,000 will have to be properly authorised from 1 January 2004.
It said the authorisation procedure would be very simple and was designed to ensure a proper record of those operating in the market and that the services reserved to An Post are respected.
