Dutch call on Germans and British to liberalise postal services
The Dutch government has offered to fully liberalize its postal services by 2007, two years ahead of the EU timetable, provided that Britain and Germany do so too.
“The economy ministry wishes to completely open the postal service in the Netherlands to competition by 2007 on condition that Germany and Britain also open their markets by that date,” minister Laurens-Jan Brinkhorst said in a statement.
The Dutch cabinet is to study the proposal before sending a report to parliament.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, has set 2009 as the target for the 15 members of the European Union to open their mail services to competition.
Brinkhorst’s proposals include a “universal service” throughout the Netherlands for letters weighing two kilograms (2.2 pounds) or less and parcels of up to 10 kilos, as well as for registered mail. He also said the price of postage should be the same everywhere in the country.
Shares in the Dutch TNT Post Group (TPG) were floated on the stock exchange in 1998, but the government remains a shareholder.
