Spring, has today, filed a formal complaint with the European Commission and the EFTA Surveillance Authority. The complaint is against anti-competitive practices by Norway Post and the Norwegian law, which condones them. Spring is requesting the competition authorities to stamp out the excessive surcharging of ABA mail and the surcharging of cross border mail.
Read MoreNorway could open the market for full competition for all postal service earlier than the European Union demands, according to the Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority. The EU has planned a gradually freer market between 2003 and 2009 but the Norwegian authority has made a proposal to liberalise the services faster than that.
Read MoreAccording to the Aftenposten, the Norwegian Postal Administration is currently negotiating with more than one of the four largest mail companies in Europe in order to form an alliance. Europe’s mail companies are gearing up for the complete liberalization of the postal market. The EU has decided that in the period 2003 to 2009 the sector will be gradually opened up to competition. Among the preparations currently underway are acquisitions and alliance-building. The Norwegian Postal Administration has confirmed that it is having discussions with one or more of the four largest players in Europe, but declined to say when it expects the talks to reach a conclusion.
Read MoreAuthorities in Norway are eager to break up the country’s postal service and open it to private players. The service would thus face new competition, while residents of outlying districts face higher postal costs.
Mail carriers in rural areas often offer extra service, but that may soon end.
It’s the postal regulators themselves who are proposing that European competition directives be phased in more quickly than planned.
Torstein Olsen, a director of the postal and communications authority (Post- og teletilsynet, PT), told newspaper Aftenposten on Monday that he thinks virtually the entire postal service must go out to bid in order for customers to notice new competition.
Norway’s mail service can be hard hit by industrial action after 20,000 postal workers were offered an overall wage reduction during this year’s salary negotiations.
Talks broke down a week and a half ago and in all probability a massive walkout will take place on Tuesday, May 14. The mood among postal workers is palpably tense. After a year of restructuring, layoffs and shutdowns, employees are in no mood to accept a wage cut. Negotiations are now the responsibility of the state arbitrator and a solution has to be in by midnight May 13.
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