Tag: Germany

Restriction for postal licenses lifted

Posted by | Dec 20, 2007 | |

Kurth: “The formal foundations for further competition have been laid”

On 31 December 2007 the monopoly of Deutsche Post AG for letters with a maximum weight of 50g comes to an end. In a general order published in its Official Gazette on 19 December 2007, the Federal Network Agency has therefore lifted all material restrictions of the licences, such as the obligation to provide higher quality for letters weighing less than 50g. From 1 January 2008 all licensees – including Deutsche Post AG – can then offer all mail services in their license areas and are free to decide about the configuration of their services at their own discretion.

“With this general order we are laying the formal foundations for further competition in the postal market, without much bureaucratic effort. This will prepare the way for creative business models and flexible solutions. A realistic analysis and assessment reveals that the liberalisation of this market definitely offers opportunities for a further development of competition – despite the controversial debates of recent weeks,” emphasised the president of the Federal Network Agency, Matthias Kurth.

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Upper house of German parliament approves postal minimum wages

Posted by | Dec 20, 2007 | |

The upper house of Germany’s parliament has approved the introduction of minimum wages to the postal industry, a move the lower house and the cabinet have already approved.

Minimum wages of 8-9.80 eur per hour, as agreed by services union ver.di and an employer’s association dominated by incumbent Deutsche Post World Net AG, are now mandatory at Deutsche Post’s competitors.

Axel Springer AG decided to write down the value of mail services unit Pin Group by up to 620 mln eur after the lower house of parliament approved a minimum wage and after financing talks with its other owner failed.

The German states are represented in the upper house of German parliament.

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Axel Springer to take up to 620 mln eur write-down on PIN Group

Posted by | Dec 19, 2007 | |

Axel Springer AG said it expects to write down the value of postal service provider PIN Group AG, in which it holds a majority stake, by up to 620 mln eur this year after talks with the other owner to finance the business failed.

The write-down will have a negative impact on net profit, it said in a statement.

PIN Group will be included in discontinued operations in the company’s full-year results.

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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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