WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3511/97 by Leonie van BLADEL to the Council. Damage to small and medium-sized businesses as a result of the Netherlands and European postal authorities' abuse of their monopoly position
Date: 1997-11-14
Institutions: European Parliament, VAN BLADEL
Subjects: dominant position, monopoly, postal and telecommunications services, postal service, provision of services

8. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 174/71

(98/C 174/115)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3511/97

by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Council

(14 November 1997)

Subject: Damage  to  small  and  medium-sized  businesses  as  a  result  of  the  Netherlands  and  European  postal

authorities(cid:146) abuse of their monopoly position

1.
Small and medium-sized businesses face constant problems because of the postal authorities(cid:146) abuse of their
monopoly  position.  In  several  places  in  the  Netherlands  activities  other  than  postal  services  covered  by  the
monopoly, including foreign exchange operations and the issue of registration certificates, are carried out at the
post office counters used for postal services. This is a serious problem for small and medium-sized businesses.
Waiting times for a standard parcel may be more than 20 minutes during the peak period from 4 to 6 p.m. The
manager of postal services in the Hague, W. van den Berg, does not consider this disturbing. However it means a
considerable loss to small and medium-sized businesses. Is the Council prepared to ask to Commission to draw
up guidelines to prohibit European postal authorities from abusing their monopoly position.

How  can  the  monopoly  of  the  European  postal  authorities  be  broken  in  the  interests  of  small  and

2.
medium-sized businesses and employment?

3.
Is the Council prepared to ask to Commission to draw up guidelines to prohibit European postal authorities
from combing commercial interests, including foreign exchange operations, which compete with commercial
banks, and monopoly postal services, such as acceptance and dispatch of mail, at the same counters?

Answer

(9 March 1998)

1.
In response to the question  of the  Honourable Member  of the  European Parliament, the  Council would
recall that in conformity with the provisions of the Treaty, the issue of abuse of a dominant position falls within
the competence of the Commission.

2.
The Council would also remind the Honourable Member that the European Parliament and the Council
recently adopted, on 15 December 1997, Directive 97/67/EC, which sets out common rules for the development
of the internal market of Community postal services and the improvement of quality of service (1).

(1)  OJ L 15, 21.1.1998, p. 14.

(98/C 174/116)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3523/97

by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Commission

(12 November 1997)

Subject: Reforms pending in university research

Nature magazine (Vol. 388, 31 July 1997) has reported that the British Government is drawing up new responses
to higher education, where both improved facilities and changes in the attitude of academics are required in order
to restore the trust between scientific communities and governments.

The main themes set out in the Dearing report, which can be expected to resurface in a forthcoming White Paper,
are not exclusive to the United Kingdom. Guaranteeing the quality and appropriateness of fundamental research,
ensuring that similar value is attached in universities to achievements in teaching as well as in research, allowing
for sufficient administrative costs in research, modernizing equipment and securing the participation of industry
are tasks facing all the governments of the European Union and of other advanced economies.

Can  the  Commission  provide  information  on  reforms  and  studies  similar  ›  to  those  described  above  for  the
United Kingdom › now in progress in Europe, the United States and Japan?