Full liberalisation of postal services is a priority for the new Germanpresidency of the European Union, according to its work programme for the six-month tenure.
And that will remain the case for the following half-yearlypresidencies of Portugal and Slovenia, as a first-ever 18-month plan of EU activity also publisheddemonstrates.
Germany took over presidency of the EU on 1 January, but is working closelywith the Portuguese and Slovenia presidencies to follow in order to provide an unprecedented levelof continuity until mid-2008.
This will affect legislation being drawn up for the EUR 90 billionpostal market, since the European Commission wants full competition – by opening up the currentlast reserved area for mail below 50g – in 2009.
“The three Presidencies will seek to begin and finalise work on theforthcoming proposal for a Directive on the full accomplishment of the Internal Market for postalservices,” the 18-month work programme document says.
The German government, led by chancellor Angela Merkel and EuropeanCommission president José Manuel Barroso, met with European Commissioners today to begin work onthe full programme for the presidency. “The first (economic) priority will be to take steps to strengthenEurope on the global stage within the framework of the new Internal Market strategy, inconsultation with the Commission,” says the German presidency in presenting its six-monthplan.
“This requires us to foster innovative potential and push forwardmarket opening in growth industries. Specifically, the Presidency aims to move closer to fullyliberalising the European market for postal services and revising the legal framework fortelecommunications, as well as to establish an efficient and competitive information society.”
Economics minister Michael Glos, joint chair of the EU presidency’s competitiveness council,is to present a more detailed programme for the internal market in Brussels on 23 January, when thecouncil meets for the first time.
But while four countries – the UK, Germany, Sweden and Finland –strongly back the Commission’s proposal to liberalise fully the EU postal market within threeyears, ten postal operators, led by France, have expressed their concern about the future financingof the universal postal service in Europe.
Germany is expected to work on a compromise deal that could be agreed in June,which would then have to be passed by the European Parliament.
