This document is an excerpt from the EUR-Lex website
The main aims of the postal services directive are to:
The original directive has been amended several times, some of the most important amendments being in Directive 2008/6/EC.
The directive sets out common rules concerning:
The universal postal service obligation
EU countries are obliged to guarantee a permanent, affordable, universal postal service everywhere within their territory, i.e. they have to guarantee as a minimum the following:
EU countries may designate one or more companies as universal service providers so that the whole territory is covered. This designation is subject to regular review.
Financing of the universal postal service
EU countries are not allowed to grant exclusive or special rights to provide postal services. They may, however, compensate the universal service provider if there is a net cost established and this represents an unfair financial burden in accordance with the EU treaties (e.g. State aid, public procurement, cost-sharing* mechanism).
Tariffs
Universal service tariffs must comply in particular with the following principles.
EU countries may provide a free postal service for blind and partially sighted persons.
Quality of services
For cross-border mail within the EU, Annex II of the directive requires:
Complaints procedures
A transparent, simple and inexpensive procedure must be available to deal with user complaints, with disputes settled fairly and promptly.
Technical harmonisation
Technical harmonisation is undertaken on the basis of a standardisation request from the Commission by Technical Committee 331 of CEN.
Regulatory authorities
EU countries have to establish independent national regulatory authorities that should be provided with all the necessary resources in terms of staffing, expertise and financial means, and carry out the tasks they have been designated by the directive, in particular relating to:
Provision of information
EU countries must ensure that service providers provide information to the national regulatory authorities, including financial information and information relating to the universal service, in particular for 2 purposes:
Cross-border parcel delivery services
In 2018, Regulation (EU) 2018/644 on cross-border parcel deliveries was adopted. This regulation complements the rules set out in Directive 97/67/EC, which focuses mainly but not exclusively on universal services, in order to address:
Directive 97/67/EC has applied since 10 February 1998. It had to become law in EU countries by 14 February 1999.
Amending Directive 2008/6/EC has applied since 27 February 2008. It had to become law in 16 EU countries by 31 December 2010 and in the remaining 11 countries by 31 December 2012.
For more information, see:
Directive 97/67/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 1997 on common rules for the development of the internal market of Community postal services and the improvement of quality of service (OJ L 15, 21.1.1998, pp. 14-25)
Successive amendments to Directive 97/67/EC have been incorporated in the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.
Regulation (EU) 2018/644 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 April 2018 on cross-border parcel delivery services (OJ L 112, 2.5.2018, pp. 19-28)
Commission Decision of 10 August 2010 establishing the European Regulators Group for Postal Services (OJ C 217, 11.8.2010, pp. 7-9)
last update 10.12.2018