Year: 2008

Postcomm asks for views on the regulatory framework for postal services from 2010

Posted by | Jan 15, 2008 | |

Postcomm is considering how, and to what extent, it should regulate Royal Mail from 2010 onwards, when its current price control is due to be replaced.

The regulator wants to begin by taking a ‘top down’ approach, based on what was learned from last year’s Strategy Review, before focusing on detail later on in the process. Most specifically, Postcomm wants to consider whether adopting a different approach could allow a significant reduction in the scope of regulation, whilst maintaining sufficient protection for customers and operators in those areas where Royal Mail has substantial and enduring market power.

An initial letter, issued to stakeholders, sets out a number of possible approaches and seeks feedback on the advantages and disadvantages of each of them. Postcomm is also looking for stakeholders’ views as to what other measures might be needed to ensure that a proposed approach would be effective.

Responses to this initial consultation should be sent to Postcomm by Friday 14 March 2008. Following this consultation, Postcomm will carefully consider responses, before publishing initial proposals for changes to the regulatory framework around June 2008.

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Leipzig/Halle Airport recorded its highest ever traffic figures in 2007 – cargo volume has risen to more than 100,000 tonnes

Posted by | Jan 15, 2008 | |

With a cargo volume of 101,285 tonnes and 2,723,748 passengers handled in 2007, Leipzig/Halle Airport recorded the highest ever traffic figures in its history. The number of flight movements, i.e. take-offs and landings, rose from 42,417 to 50,976, an increase of 20.2 percent over the previous year.

The cargo volume handled at Leipzig/Halle Airport rose from 29,330 tonnes to 101,285 tonnes, an increase of 245 percent compared with 2006.

This development is largely attributable to the growing commitment made by DHL, which, Mondays to Fridays, currently operates more than 30 flights from Leipzig/Halle every day.

Lufthansa Cargo has been using Leipzig/Halle Airport since October last year to operate 21 flights a week to destinations in the United States, in Asia, Africa and Europe.

Eric Malitzke, Managing Director Flughafen Leipzig/Halle GmbH said: “progressive growth in the cargo sector and exceeding the 100,000 tonne mark clearly underline Leipzig/Halle Airport’s ambition to develop into a cargo hub of European importance within the next few years. With DHL opening its European hub this year, this positive trend will continue in 2008”.

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Pakistan Post increases service charges

Posted by | Jan 15, 2008 | |

The Pakistan Post (PP) has increased its service charges with the start of 2008, according to an official notification made available to Daily Times.

“A commission on the issue of inland money order and urgent money order at the flat rate of Rs 50, irrespective of the value of a single money order up to Rs 10,000, shall be charged from January 1, 2008,” says the notification. The charges of the Pakistan postal order (PPO) have been increased from Rs 5 to Rs 15. The notification has been dispatched to all PP offices and they have been asked to follow it strictly. The charges have been increased for inland ordinary money orders, urgent money orders, PPO and insured articles.

A PP official told Daily Times that earlier Rs 15 were charged for the delivery of a Rs 1,000 money order and Rs 20 for a Rs 2,000 money order. An additional amount of Rs 5 was charged with the increase of every Rs 1,000 into the value of a money order, he added.

The official said most PP customers had criticised the increase in the PP service charges. “Heated arguments have become a routine at the PP offices, irritating the staff,” he said. “The PP has increased charges manifold, inconveniencing its customers,” Sahibzada Fakhar, a PP customer, said.

1 USD = 62.2600 PKR

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The impact of online shopping on logistics

Posted by | Jan 15, 2008 | |

New research into the effects of online shopping on our high streets shows that retailers need to dramatically change the way they operate – from product availability to their physical stores and locations

According to logistics property consultancy Atisreal retailers have a major opportunity to take advantage of e-Shopping opportunities but only if they change how goods bought online are delivered to consumers.

According to Atisreal, almost two-thirds of UK consumers (62%) would choose a retailer offering home deliveries specified to the hour over one that does not when buying goods on the internet; and over half (52%) would do so if offered the opportunity to use local centres where goods could be collected or returned at their convenience.

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Tax check for pensioners in Germany helps save cash

Posted by | Jan 15, 2008 | |

Do I need to file a tax return or not? That is the question more and more pensioners who have rarely had to have any kind of dealings with the Finanzamt (German tax department) until now are asking themselves.

However, the Alterseinkünftegesetz (German retirement income act) requires approximately 3.5 million pension recipients to file a return. The fact that the Department of Finance will in future know about pensioners’ income because it can exchange data with other departments has made this a particularly explosive issue. Many of those affected are unclear about the legal position – and hence also about the tax relief options that are often available to them.

Two strong partners

This is where a new co-operation between two strong partners comes into the picture. Germany’s largest income tax assistance society, Vereinigte Lohnsteuerhilfe e. V. (VLH), and Deutsche Post AG’s Pension Service have set up a joint online service. VLH’s experts have set up the so-called ‘tax check’ on the Pension Service’s service platform, www.rentenservice.de and it can be used by pensioners and helpful family members with internet access free of charge as of now.

VLH and Deutsche Post’s Pension Service have a special offer for pensioners who avail themselves of VLH’s advisory services if it transpires that they are required to file a return. When they present their pensioner’s identity card, the joining fee, which is currently EUR10, is waived.

By expanding the portal, the Pension Service and various initiatives of the German federal government and the European Union are aiming to make using the internet simpler for pensioners.

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Government to shed its stake in MaltaPost

Posted by | Jan 14, 2008 | |

The government’s 40 per cent shareholding in MaltaPost is being offered for sale via an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and MaltaPost shares will be quoted on the Malta Stock Exchange later this month.

At a news conference held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre early last week to announce the sale, Minister Austin Gatt succinctly explained, “The government’s business is government and not business.”

He said that the event was the final step in Maltapost’s privatisation process that had began five years ago resulting in a leaner and more efficient postal service that could operate on commercial lines. As a government entity the postal service was “expensive to run and resulted in taxpayers’ money being poured in,” he said. In the Maltese context, he believed it made sense to allow Lombard Bank, a strong and respected local financial institution, to take a majority stake “but we are now also providing an opportunity to the public to invest in this company by putting our remaining shares up for sale through this IPO,” he said. We did this with a purpose. A deal could have been struck to sell all the government’s shares to Lombard Bank, but this government believes in extending the public an opportunity to invest and that is why we are listing the shares on the stock exchange.”

The share offer is of 11,200,000 shares of a nominal value of e0.25c per share at a Share Offer Price of e0.50c per share. The offer is being made by the Malta government and Malta Government Investment Limited that currently own 40 per cent of the company. Maltapost market capitalisation is currently set at e14,000,000. The company is also to adopt a dividend policy of distributing up to 50 per cent of yearly available profits.

1 USD = 0.288408 MTL

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Arab nations gear up for UPU Congress

Posted by | Jan 14, 2008 | |

Postal administrators from Arab countries discussed the Arab stand on postal issues at the 15th meeting of the Arab Permanent Postal Council at the General Secretariat of Arab League, Cairo.

Emirates Post was appointed head of a special committee to prepare the Arab approach for the UPU Congress which will be held in Nairobi from August 13 to September 3, 2008.

A high-level delegation from Emirates Post headed by assistant director general, operations, Salem Al Shaya took part in the deliberations. The participants included senior officials from Arab postal corporations, the Arab League and the UPU.

The council discussed a number of key issues, including modernisation of mail operations in Arab countries. It was decided to issue a stamp on Arab Postal Day on September 3, 2008.

The meeting also urged all Arab postal corporations to participate in the Stamp Exhibition in Doha from January 30 to February 3, 2008.

The council reiterated its support to Palestine Post and called for steps to help the state modernise its mail and parcel services. It was also agreed to issue special stamps on Palestine Land Day and donate the proceeds to Palestinian Authority.

The Emirates Post delegation made presentations on International Financial Services (IFS) as head of the Arab management committee, the Arab postal strategy for Nairobi Congress 2008 and UPU clearing.

Other members of the Emirates Post delegation included director, operations, Saif Al Shehhi, and postal operations consultant Nasser Qadoumi.

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Survey: FedEx's Smith among top CEOs (US)

Posted by | Jan 14, 2008 | |

FedEx Corp. Chairman, President and CEO Frederick W. Smith is among America’s best Chief Executives, according to Institutional Investor magazine.

Smith was named the best CEO in the airfreight and surface transportation category for the second consecutive year in the magazine’s survey.

The magazine surveyed portfolio managers, analysts and other investment professionals and asked them to name the best CEOs in their sectors.

Around 900 people at 425 institutions responded with first, second and third place votes in each of the sectors with which they were familiar.

“A common trait exhibited by many of the winners is experience managing through crises, scandals and turnarounds,” the company stated in a release.

Based in Memphis, FedEx Corp. provides transportation, e-commerce and business services through several divisions, including FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, FedEx Kinko’s and FedEx Global Supply Chain Services.

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