WRITTEN QUESTION E-2151/00

by Mauro Nobilia (UEN) to the Commission

(30 June 2000)

Subject: Funding of the universal postal service in Italy

In 1998, the provision of the universal postal service cost the Italian public postal services operator over ITL 2 700 billion.

If the Commission decides to liberalise the postal service in Italy pursuant to the infringement proceedings initiated against Italy with a view to reducing the funding of the universal postal service, these costs will increase to over ITL 4 000 billion.

The Italian postal service is currently implementing a new business plan (1998-2002), which has enabled it to improve considerably the quality of its service by means of a far-reaching redeployment and retraining process for its staff and reorganisation of its technological infrastructure.

The aim of this business plan is to balance the budget of the Italian postal service in 2002 while avoiding traumatic repercussions on the jobs front.

If the Commission adopts its decision within the deadline announced at the start of the infringement proceedings, all the efforts made thus far and those planned for the future will have been in vain.

The only option then available to the Italian postal service to offset its losses would be to reduce its productive capacity and shed at least 50 000 jobs.

Can the Commission:

- confirm that the above is true?

- can it check whether the practical consequences of the decision to liberalise the postal service in Italy in accordance with the aforementioned infringement proceedings does not conflict with the objectives of the universal postal service?

- does such liberalisation not run counter to the aims of increasing economic and social cohesion amongst Member States, given that the Dutch postal service, for example, with the profits it makes as a result of its monopoly in the Netherlands, will be able to make further acquisitions in breach of the competition rules?

Answer by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(28 July 2000)

On 15 December 1997, Parliament and the Council adopted Directive 97/67/EC on common rules for the development of the internal market of Community postal services and the improvement of quality of service (the Postal Directive)(1). The measures prescribed were to be implemented by 10 February 1999 at the latest, and all the Member States, without exception, must comply with the requirements of this Directive.

The measures provided for under the Postal Directive include the possibility of assigning a reserved sector to the universal service provider and setting up a compensation fund to contribute toward the costs of the universal service and ensure that it is maintained. It is with this in view that Decree No 261/99, supplemented by the Decision of 2 February 2000 and Ministerial Decree No 73 of 4 February 2000 texts for the implementation of the Postal Directive in Italy provided for the assignment to the Italian postal service of the largest reserved sector permitted under the Directive and for the establishment of a compensation fund financed by contributions from the operators competing in the non-reserved sector of the universal service.

As the Commission explained in its reply to the honourable Member's Question P-2132/00(2), the infringement procedure launched against Italy concerns the extension of the reserved area to include the provision of value-added services, which, under Community law, must be provided in free competition in all the Member States. This action does not question the implementation of a business plan by the Italian postal service, nor its beneficial consequences.

(1) OJ L 15, 21.1.1998.

(2) See p. 155.