Tag: European Union

EU lawmakers approve full mail competition from 2011

Posted by | Dec 18, 2007 | |

A committee of European Union lawmakers on last Tuesday 18th December approved EU plans to open the bloc’s 88 billion euro (USD130 billion) postal markets to full competition, setting the stage for final approval next month.
The European Parliament’s transport committee voted 37 to 2, with six abstentions, in favour of market liberalisation.
EU member states have approved the proposal and it will be debated before the full parliament on Jan. 30, with a vote set for Jan. 31. If it passes unchanged, as expected, the directive will become law.
The market for letters weighing up to 50 grams is currently shielded from competition. Mail above that weight is fully liberalised. The new measure would liberalise all mail delivery.
The new directive takes effect in 13 countries in 2011. The 12 new member states, along with Luxembourg and Greece, have until 2013.
During the hearing on Tuesday, the communist-led GUE/NGL bloc and Green Party members had sought to adopt amendments, including scrapping the measure. They were outvoted on 35 amendments and withdrew another 37.
The measure has sparked protests by postal workers in many EU nations, especially France, who fear job losses.

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EU may open up postal markets by 2011

Posted by | Sep 29, 2007 | |

European Union countries are likely to agree to a delayed opening of the bloc’s postal markets to full competition, a French minister said yesterday.

The European Commission has proposed stripping away the remaining barriers to competition from 2009 but the measure needs approval from the bloc’s member states and the European Parliament.

The measure has sparked protests by postal workers in many EU nations, particularly France, who fears job losses.

EU transport ministers meet in Luxembourg on Monday with the aim of reaching a political agreement.

Under parliament’s first-reading compromise, full liberalization would not start until 2011 with the 12 mostly eastern European states that joined the EU in 2004 and after having until 2013 to implement the reform.

Parliament also effectively allowed Luxembourg and Greece to delay liberalization until 2013.

The EU assembly’s compromise is expected to form the basis of the text adopted by ministers.

The market for letters weighing up to 50 grams is currently shielded from competition. Mail above that weight is fully liberalized.

The measure contains safeguards to ensure a range of everyday services, such as letter collection and delivery, known as the universal service, is maintained even in the most thinly populated areas.

Parliament also inserted a reciprocity clause so a country that is fully liberalized does not have to authorize competitors from states that have yet to open their own sectors.

Swedish and British postal markets are already fully liberalized.

Germany and the Netherlands are due to open theirs to full competition next year.

The sector employs 5.2 million people, who deliver 135 billion items a year to the European Union’s 490 million consumers.

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EU states strike partial mail liberalization deal

Posted by | Sep 19, 2007 | |

European Union states have reached a partial deal on opening the bloc’s 88 billion Euro (USD 123 billion) postal markets to full competition, but starting dates are still unresolved, an EU diplomat said on Wednesday.
The European Commission has proposed stripping away the remaining barriers to competition from 2009 but the measure needs approval from EU member states and the European Parliament.
Envoys from member states agreed to push ahead with the basic text of the measure, a diplomatic source said.
EU ministers meet in Luxembourg on Oct. 1.
Currently the market for letters weighing up to 50 grams is shielded from competition. Mail above that weight is fully liberalized.
States are divided over when full liberalization should start.
“The main issues to be resolved by ministers are the final date and possible list of countries that can delay implementation, as well as the reciprocity clause,” the source said.
Under parliament’s first reading compromise, the 12 mostly eastern European states that joined the EU in 2004 and after will have until 2013 to implement the reform.
Parliament also introduced new criteria for delayed implementation, such as for countries that have many islands, a reference to Greece. Luxembourg was also effectively given a delayed start by parliament.
Parliament has inserted a reciprocity clause in the measure so that a country that is fully liberalized does not have to authorize competitors from states that have yet to open up their own sectors.
Some EU states are opposed to these compromises agreed in parliament.
The sector employs 5.2 million people, who deliver 135 billion items a year to the European Union’s 490 million consumers.

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UK Post Office faces fines if it does not deliver

Posted by | Jan 29, 2001 | |

Published: January 29 2001 20:48GMT | Last Updated: January 30 2001 02:50GMT The UK Post Office was on Monday given a maximum of three years to start hitting its service standards or face substantial fines by the UK Postal Services Commission, the newly appointed industry watchdog. The commission also imposed price controls on a wide range of letter and parcels services, and made clear that the Post Office will be forced to give access to its business infrastructure to new companies that want to compete with it.

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