The GLS Holding, parent compamy of 18 European parcel, courier and express serbice companie, is to construct new premesis costing EUR 5 million in Lyon (France. Upon completion, the present depot and regional hub will be merged. Construction work is expected to start in the first quarter of 2004 and to be completed in time for the companys autumn season.
Read MoreThe management board of French post office La Poste have approved the 2004 budget, which aims for a break-even of the consolidated result excluding tax and exceptional items, even if the parent company registers a deficit. La Poste says that this is in a difficult environment. The group has recently signed its contract plan with the state for the 2003-2007 period. This suggests that the reduction in post volumes will put the group’s margins under pressure in 2004 and 2005, but the full effects of the modernisation programme will not be felt until 2006. La Poste is predicting 2.4 per cent growth in consolidated turnover in 2004, compared with 1.8% growth in 2002, to €17.3bn.
Read MoreThe European Commission has decided to refer France to the European Court of Justice to ensure it fully implements the two EU postal services Directives. The first Directive dates from 1997 and among other things requires Member States to appoint a national postal regulator legally and operationally separate from the postal operators. The second Directive, adopted in 2002, commits Member States to gradually open certain sectors of their postal markets to competition. The Commission has at the same time decided to close infringement cases against Belgium, which has now adopted a law establishing an independent regulator as required by the first Directive and against Greece and Austria, which have notified the Commission that they have put in place the market opening measures stipulated by the second Directive.
Read MoreThe European Union sued France Wednesday for failing to deregulate its postal market. The Commission said France must open up the market for letters weighing more than 100 grams and establish an independent postal regulator. “Only a regulator separate from the big incumbent former monopolies can ensure that postal services give users the benefits of competition,” said Frits Bolkestein, the European Union Internal Markets Commissioner. France was supposed to set up an independent regulator in 1997. Instead, the Commission says the French regulator is appointed by the Ministry of Finance, which is also responsible for supervising the state ownership of La Poste. The French government did appoint a postal ombudsman in 2001. But the Commission said the ombudsman doesn’t replace the minister as the regulatory authority.
Read MoreThe Free and Fair Post Initiative (FFPI) today released its third EU stamp price survey. The study, which this year also covers the ten new EU Member States, confirms the trend towards price increases and highlights the remarkable gaps that exist among current Member States and between them and the accession countries. The FFPI’s research shows that the wide price differences registered in 2002 have not been reduced and that tariffs have in most States registered further raises. In 11 out of 15 current EU Member States stamp prices have been increased in the past year. In addition, requests for price
reviews have been filed by postal operators in some countries where decisions are still pending and will likely be taken in 2004.
Includes stamp prices in the EU-25 for basic domestic letters & EU Stamp Price Chart – Prices in Euro Cents
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