French postal reform bill returns to Lower House

The French lower house, the national assembly, will today begin a second reading of the bill which aims to reform France’s postal services. The proposed legislation, which was debated by the French senate in January, seeks to open up the French postal sector to competition. While many of its provisions have already been approved by both houses, the national assembly’s economic affairs commission has tabled an amendment which would limit the powers of Arcep, the body which is to be set up to regulate the liberalized postal and electronic communications sector. If the amendment is passed, Arcep will be able to protect competition in the sector but will not have power over all of the operations of the French post office, La Poste. In particular, La Poste’s parcel service and proposed postal bank will be outside its control.