Council decision without final date is lost opportunity for more dynamic postal sector
19 october 2001 - The decision by the EU Council of Telecommunications Ministers on 15 October not to set a firm final date for full liberalisation of the European mail market is disappointing and breaks the pledge made by the Heads of State and Governments in Lisbon in 2000 to create the most competitive and dynamic knowledge based economy in the world by liberalising the internal market including the postal market. The Netherlands was the only country to disagree with the Council’s decision.
Nevertheless there is still a positive emphasis in that the European Commission has been asked to confirm the accomplishment of 2009 as a final date unless there are adverse effects on the universal service. This will be done in 2007.
On September 3, 2001, TPG announced its European Expansion Strategy for Mail. This strategy is not impacted by the disappointing progress on a final date for liberalisation, since TPG will develop business in the areas already free.
The steps announced for 2003 (market open for letters above 100 grams) and 2006 (50 grams) will bring an additional EUR 6 -7 billion mail flows into competition by 2006 (around 13 percent of the total market). This will offer opportunities for TPG to further accelerate the international growth plans in its Mail division. TPG’s current expansion plans focus primarily on non-addressed and segmented mail and related data and document management services and can be achieved without any further liberalisation steps.
Indeed, as an industry leader, recognised as the European benchmark in productivity, service quality and price levels, and operating in a home market which is already 70 percent liberalised including the entire direct mail market, TPG is extremely well-positioned to benefit from any steps that will be taken in future years towards a fully liberalised postal market in Europe.