Postal News from around the world:

Some Important Postal News from around the world

week ending 18.12.2010.

1.    Viet Nam News has reported that "P&T Express Joint Stock Company (VNPost Express) and GeoPost Intercontinental SAS (GeoPost) under La Poste Postal group (France) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in providing express parcel and logistical services in Viet Nam. Under the MoU, VNPost Express and GeoPost will supply high-quality and economical national and international parcel services within GeoPost and VNPost Express networks. Through the MoU, La Poste expressed its desire to strengthen the co-operative relationship between Viet Nam and France Post, while exploring opportunities to raise their position in international postal market through co-operation, direct investment and M&A."

2.    Bloomberg has reported that "Posta Romana SA, Romania’s state- owned postal monopoly, was fined 103.3 million lei ($32 million) by the national competition authority for abusing a dominant position. The regulator ruled that the postal company violated the law in two cases by offering lower tariffs to certain companies, to the detriment of their competitors, according to a statement published on the regulator’s website."

3.    Fox Business has reported that "German trade union Verdi said Friday that the 5,000 employees working in Deutsche Postbank AG branches will get salary increases of a total of 4.7% and longer protection against dismissal. It said the salaries of the 5,000 employees and trainees will be increased in two different stages, starting on February 1 and ending on May 31 2013, to total 4.7%. In addition, the agreement includes protection against dismissal until December 31 2013, Verdi said. Postbank AG has 1,000 branches in Germany offering postal and financial services."

4.    Post & Parcel has reported that "Royal Mail will raise the price of a First class stamp by 5p to 46p, as a part of a wide-range of postal service price increases in the UK. The operator also announced that Second Class stamps will rise 4p to 36p, whilst the cost of a large letter stamp will rise by 9p to 75p for First Class items and 7p to 58p for Second Class mail, Stamp price rises will take effect from 4 April 2011, the company announced."

5.    The Daily Yomiuri has reported that "Japan Post Bank is considering opening its first overseas office in London by the end of next year, aiming to obtain the latest financial information there to help diversify its asset management schemes, sources said Thursday."

6.    Government Executive has reported that "The U.S. Postal Service and the American Postal Workers Union have put employee reassignments on hold as negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement continue. APWU's contract expired on Nov. 20, but both parties decided to extend the agreement, first to Nov. 23 and again until Dec. 1. The contract continues day by day and will remain in effect until differences are resolved or an impasse is reached, USPS spokesman Mark Saunders said."

7.    As European Voice has noted, "Postal service monopolies are due to end in most of the EU on 1 January, amid criticisms that there is still little real competition in the sector. When the EU's third directive on the liberalisation of postal markets comes into force at the beginning of 2011, a further 11 countries will be obliged to allow new providers to compete against national incumbents on the last – and largest – sub-sector to be liberalised, letters under 50 grams. They will join the six member states that have already introduced full liberalisation, theoretically opening up 95% of the internal postal market to competition. In the remaining ten member states, the deadline for full liberalisation is still two years away. At the beginning of next month, Estonia, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK will be joined by Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain in opening up their postal markets."

8.    The Nigerian Observer has reported that "The National Union of Postal and Telecommunications Employees (NUPTE) has said in Abuja that reforms in the postal sector should not lead to job losses. Mr. Sunday Alhassan, the National President of NUPTE, told newsmen that the proposed reforms in NIPOST could lead to job losses if necessary measures were not taken. He said that rather than lead to job losses, the plan should lead to improvements in the welfare of NIPOST workers."

9.    The Bangkok Post has reported that "With the goal of reaching logistic revenue of 10 billion baht, Thailand Post has expanded its partners through eBay and widened its services while taking advantage of the country's position as a logistic hub in Asean."

10.  AsiaOne News has reported that "Singapore Post is beefing up resources and stepping up quality checks at its mail processing centre and various delivery bases to improve its service. This move is in response to the recent spate of complaints, reported in the local media, by customers who were angry over the delayed delivery of their letters and parcels."