The European Parliament voted for the liberalization of the EU postal services market starting with the year 2011, two years after the introduction of the EC proposal.
A majority of Parliament members supported a plan which would allow full competition in the delivery of letters under the weight of 50 grams, starting with January 1st, 2011.
While more than ten EU countries are quite ready to accept the deregulation process of that postal market which started 10 years ago, the rest of the EU countries have problems which manifested also through strikes of postal employees.
The European postal service sector opened up to competition ten years ago, regarding the delivery of packages over 350 grams. Starting with the year 2003, that measure expanded to packages over 100 grams and in the year 2006 to letters over 50 grams.
The Commission made a proposal for the complete abolition of state monopolies regarding the delivery of letters less than 50 grams of weight by the year 2009, along with guaranteed postal services in all countries of the EU, pointing out the positive examples of GB, France, the Netherlands and Sweden.
The Commission also states that new measures might secure positive changes for the consumer, since it is expected that the competition will introduce lower tariffs and personalized services.