Seamus Brennan
Question:21 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications his views on the changes proposed by the EU in relation to the postal service in the Community. [14171/96]
Written Answers. - EU Postal Service.
There are two separate changes emerging, namely a proposal for a directive on common rules for the development of Community postal services and the improvement of quality of service and a proposed Commission Notice on the application of the competition rules to the postal sector and in particular on the assessment of certain State measures relating to postal services.
It is clear that with liberalisation and harmonisation affecting all the main utility sectors, the postal sector would inevitably be reached. The Commission proposal for a directive is not particularly ambitious or liberal and it seems likely that the version which will emerge from the negotiating process can be accommodated in Ireland without any particular difficulty. The draft is structured as a guaranteed minimum universal service supported by a reasonable reserved area. There are open questions still about liberalisation of direct mail and incoming foreign mail both as to the extent and timing. There will likely be a political commitment to a second phase of liberalisation in 2001. The quality of service targets are soft in a North European context but will apparently stretch some southern member states. Progress with the draft directive has been slow and I intend to push it forward as much as possible during the Irish Presidency.
The Commission Notice, which they are entitled to issue under their own authority, sets out a demanding set of interpretations of Treaty rules. It would be highly desirable to have a directive containing positive law in parallel with this notice.