Tag: Mail Services

Publication of Postal Directive marks start date for real market opening

Posted by | Feb 27, 2008 | |

The publication marks the entry into force of the directive and sets the clock ticking for abolishing legal monopolies on postal services by 31 December 2010. The Directive is the result of a broad political consensus on the way forward for the regulatory framework of European postal services. The Commission will monitor and assist Member States pro-actively in implementing the Directive. In particular, it will pay close attention to potential entry barriers that would deprive users of the benefit of a dynamic and open market.

The mission of EU postal reform continues. Next steps will require close monitoring of the development of competition notably by national regulatory authorities whose role has now been strengthened further. Particular attention will be paid to quality and prices of universal postal service. The Commission services will assist Member States in the transposition of the Directive to ensure that postal reform remains true to its objective of high quality and innovative postal services.

The text published reflects the overall political agreement between the institutions and keeps the key elements of the Commission’s initial proposal and in particular: the accomplishment of the internal market of Community postal services via the abolition of the reserved area in all Member States; the confirmation of the scope and standard of universal service; reinforcement of consumers’ rights and upgrading of the role of national regulatory authorities; the offering of a list of measures Member States may take to safeguard and finance, if necessary, the universal service.

With the removal of reserved areas, users of postal services can expect the services available to them to develop and further improve. In this open environment, universal service providers will be motivated to become more reliable and efficient and to further increase their customer focus in the light of potential competition from new market entrants. In line with the goals of the Lisbon agenda, full market opening will also directly foster the creation of new jobs in new postal companies, and, indirectly, in the industries dependent on the postal sector.

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Hungarian Prime Minister says Magyar Post could be listed

Posted by | Feb 27, 2008 | |

Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany said this morning that lottery company Szerencsejatek, Hungarian Electricity Works MVM, postal service Magyar Posta and the State Motorway Management Company AAK could be among the state-owned companies to be listed at the Budapest Stock Exchange, according to MTI-Econews.

Speaking during a morning television program, Gyurcsany said that the state-owned Volan bus companies is not among the state-owned companies whose shares the government might float on the BSE as part of a program announced on Feb 18.

The prime minister added that the government’s current plan would stipulate a 10-15 pct preference and a 1 mln forint limit per individual on the purchase of the shares of state-owned companies to be included in the share program.

Gyurcsany said that 5 pct of the price of the shares would have to be paid at the time of their subscription.

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Postcomm consults on licence application for Mr Aaron Leitner (trading as Post 123) (UK)

Posted by | Feb 27, 2008 | |

Postcomm today began a 30-day consultation on the proposed grant of a postal operator’s licence to Mr Aaron Leitner (trading as Post 123).

Under the licensing framework that took effect from 1 January 2006, and was amended in January 2008, the licence would:

– allow Mr Leitner to provide all types of postal service;
– be issued for a rolling ten year period; and
– require the company to comply with copdes of practice on mail integrity (safety and security of the mail) and common operational procedures (designed to ensure the multi-operator market works well in practice).

The consultation notice and proposed licence can be found on the Post 123 consultation page.

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Swiss Post statement: Financing not guaranteed for basic service

Posted by | Feb 27, 2008 | |

Swiss Post is not pleased with today’s decision to lower the monopoly limit within a short time to 50 g. A reduction of this type also requires a simultaneous adjustment of the operating conditions. Furthermore, this overly hasty procedure contradicts the current stance taken by the Federal Council and Parliament.

PostFinance’s scope limited

Swiss Post is sorry that the Federal Council has not taken the further development of PostFinance’s activities into consideration. This limits the earnings power of Swiss Post and is detrimental to the Swiss economy, as the 43 billion francs in customer deposits cannot be invested in the Swiss SME and mortgage market. Swiss Post is continuing to call for expansion of its activities so that PostFinance can offer mortgages and loans in its own name.

Fund unsuitable

Swiss Post wishes to continue providing a good, nationwide basic service in future. This constitutes an important basis for Switzerland’s economy and the whole population. The Federal Council wants to adhere to the current level of the basic service but is taking away Swiss Post’s financing basis by abolishing the monopoly. In order to finance Switzerland’s extensive basic service we need the appropriate resources. Without such a residual monopoly, this would have to be downsized. The alternatives – a fund to be set up primarily by Swiss Post or compensation to be paid by the Confederation – are not suitable instruments. Swiss Post hopes that the consultation will produce a more balanced result.

Swiss Post needs greater flexibility

The Federal Council’s draft postal law limits the entrepreneurial scope of Swiss Post excessively. It must be able to organize itself along entrepreneurial lines ahead of full market liberalization. A number of studies show that both the basic service and the company itself would otherwise suffer and structural financing shortfalls would arise. This is why Swiss Post is calling for fewer restrictions from the politicians. The draft law does not provide for a level playing field, even if this is what the Federal Council intends. In the specific proposal, Swiss Post will ensure that it is not disadvantaged in comparison with private-sector competitors. In view of the rapid opening-up of the market to competition, the Federal Council’s proposal to introduce collective employment solutions for the respective sectors will have to be implemented quickly.

Discussion about the purpose of liberalization

In its press release, the Federal Council did not mention a reason for liberalizing the postal market. Previously it justified this by citing trends in the EU, with which Switzerland has to keep pace. In contrast to many EU countries, customers in Switzerland are very satisfied with the services that Swiss Post provides, and, according to the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication, Swiss Post’s prices are appropriate. Swiss Post thus believes there is still a considerable need for more discussion regarding the complete liberalization anticipated by the proposed law.

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China’s currency sprints into the fast lane in UK Post Office bureaux de change to meet rocketing demand

Posted by | Feb 26, 2008 | |

Rocketing demand for the Chinese yuan suggests that China may be making the leap from a niche to a mainstream holiday destination, according to Post Office Travel Services.

In response, the UK’s largest provider of foreign currency is gearing up for the Olympic Games by making the yuan available on demand at its major bureaux de change branches.

Over the past three years Post Office bureaux de change across the UK have tracked a growth in sales for Chinese yuan of more than 337 per cent. This trend tallies with the experience of tour operators, who report a quadrupling of China bookings in the same period.

With the Beijing Olympic Games now less than six months away and interest in holidays to China reaching a peak, the Post Office expects demand to mushroom during 2008. It has responded by adding Chinese yuan to its top tier of currencies, available on demand in 1,400 Post Office® bureaux de change branches nationwide.

China also looks to be one of 2008’s better value destinations for UK holidaymakers. According to the Post Office, sterling’s drop in value of less than eight per cent against the Chinese yuan compares favourably with falls of over 13 per cent against the euro and other major currencies.

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