|
|
 |
 |
"The Evolution of the European Postal Market since 1997" a study for the European Commission, DG Internal Market and Services by ITA Consulting & wik Consult - October 13, 2009
Executive Summary
1. Report Objectives and Approach
This report examines the evolution of the European postal market since the start of EU Postal
Reform in 1997. It covers both the letter post and the parcel and express market segments.
The aim of the report is to assess key market trends in the light of EU Postal Reform and, in
particular, in the light of the gradual opening of the postal market during the period of 1997-
2009. It describes the postal reform process and evaluates the impact on access, affordability,
prices, consumer satisfaction and complaints, quality of service, and competition. In addition, it
highlights likely trends in the near future and offers various recommendations with regard to
key issues.
The report is mainly based on secondary research (i.e. reports, market surveys, annual reports
and customer surveys published by the European Commission, national regulatory authorities
and other European and national postal stakeholders). To simplify the description and analysis
of the national postal markets at an EU level, three geographical groupings were made:
Western, Southern and Eastern European Member States.
In this report letter post services refer to the collection and delivery of correspondence, direct
mail and publications. Letters encompass correspondence and direct mail (i.e. addressed
advertising). Correspondence includes private and office mail as well as transactional mail.
Transactional mail consists of industrially produced items that comprise i.a. bank statements
and invoices. Publications, i.e. newspapers, magazines and periodicals comprise subscribed
publications (delivered by a postal operator) as well as customer newsletters or sponsored
magazines. Unaddressed advertising is not part of letter post. Parcel services are the transport
of largely standardised packages and usually have a non- guaranteed delivery time of 2-3 days.
Parcel services are also referred to as “deferred services”. Express services are time-sensitive,
usually guaranteed services and have as delivery time a specific day (in general the next day)
and/or a specific time.
[Link to Study.]
[Link to Annex - Country Fiches.]
|
| Other Postal News |
|
