Evaluation of the EU postal services directive again a priority for CESI’s post & telecoms trade council

In a debate with representatives from UNI Europa, -with CESI recognised European sectoral social partner on the employee side-, and the European Commission’s Directorate-General ‘Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs’ (DG GROW) on the current evaluation and a possible subsequent revision of the EU postal services directive 97/67/EC, the members of the trade council criticised the role of the directive to have contributed to the liberalisation of the sector, with subsequent deteriorations in the quality of delivery service and worsened working conditions for employees in the sector.

The trade council members emphasised in particular the key role of robust and extensive universal service obligations (USOs) for a continued maintenance of a high quality of postal delivery services. It was agreed to continue to push for strong USOs and decent employment in the sector, including together with UNI Europa.

A resolution spelling out CESI’s concrete priorities will soon be published in the resources section. Key issues will include the following:

• European legislators must make a clear commitment to the continued existence of an EU Postal Services Directive and work towards its further development. The top priority is to maintain or establish a balance between free competition, consumer needs, a functioning and economically viable universal service and the maintenance of job security within the postal and parcel industry.

• Appropriate measures should be taken to ensure that the national postal universal service provider does not experience any disadvantages compared to competing companies due to the task assigned to it.

• Since the employment situation in the postal and parcel industry regularly leads to strong social upheavals and violations of the law, the legislation of the member states should create the appropriate framework conditions to counteract this undesirable development.

• In case of a revision, the spirit of the green deal must flow into the EU Postal Services Directive

The next meeting of the trade council will take place in May 2020 in North Macedonia (tbc).