Postal Services

The Working Group on Postal Services is responsible for the legislation on postal services contained in Annex XI of the EEA Agreement.

The key legislation in this field is the Directive on Postal Services 97/67/EC which established a regulatory framework for European postal services. This Directive has been amended by Directive 2002/39/EC and Directive 2008/6/EC.

The overall objective of European postal policy is to ensure that efficient, reliable and high-quality postal services are available on at least five working days per week throughout the EU to all its citizens and businesses at affordable prices. The Postal Services Directive is a framework directive which gives a considerable degree of flexibility to the Member States, allowing them to adapt elements of domestic postal services to their own particular needs.

The third Postal Services Directive 2008/6/EC introduced the legal basis for the accomplishment of the internal market for postal services by providing for a last legislative step in the process of gradual market opening.

The EU has also taken steps to improve price transparency for cross-border parcel delivery services. The aim of these measures is to allow consumers and companies to buy and sell products and services online more easily and confidently, and to increase the uptake of e-commerce in the European Economic Area.

 

See more:

EU postal legislation

Senior Officer
Internal Market Division

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