Postcomm publishes its standard postal licence

Postcomm today published the terms and conditions for the new standard postal
licence. This implements the decision, announced on 29 May 2002, to allow
rival operators to provide long-term mail services in competition with Royal Mail
Group.
The new licence will come into operation from I January 2003 and will have a
minimum life of seven years. Up to now, with the exception of Royal Mail, all
postal operators have been restricted to interim licences of a minimum of 12
months’ duration.
The terms and conditions of the standard licence include a requirement for all
postal operators to safeguard the mail, to set their own service standards and
report on both of these twice a year to Postcomm and Postwatch, the consumer
watchdog. The licence also requires operators to put in place a guarantee which
would ensure that, if they go out of business, any undelivered mail is properly
dealt with.
The decision document, Licences under the Postal Services Act 2000: Standard
Conditions can be found on Postcomm’s website, www.postcomm.gov.uk.
Copies are available from Postcomm at 6 Hercules Road, London SE1 7DB.
Notes for Editors
The first stage of postal competition, which opens up 30% of the UK letters
market by value to competitors, will last from 1 January until March 2005.
Competitors will be able to apply for licenses to provide bulk mail services of
4000 items or more per day, consolidated mail services or designated mail
services.
Details of Postcomm’s market opening strategy are in Promoting Competition in
UK Postal Services – a Decision Document, which was published on 29 May
2002. It can be accessed from the Competition section of the Postcomm website.
The press notice issued at the time is in the Media Brief section.
Postcomm – the Postal Services Commission – is an independent regulator. It has been
set up to further the interests of users of postal services. Postcomm’s main tasks are to:
_x0001__x0002_ Seek to ensure a universal postal service at an affordable uniform tariff
_x0001__x0002_ Further the interests of users wherever appropriate through competition
_x0001__x0002_ License postal operators
_x0001__x0002_ Control Consignia’s prices and quality of service
_x0001__x0002_ Give advice to Government on the future of the post office network.
Postcomm’s policies are steered by a board of seven commissioners, headed by the
chairman, Graham Corbett CBE.