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174 16[2006/2007]4 ULR EUROPEAN CURRENT SURVEY

European Commission proposes full The European Commission published a proposal to open EU postal markets fully to
opening of the postal services market competition by 2009. The Commission believes that this is the best way to maintain
by 2009 universal service while further improving quality and choice for EU consumers and
(IP/06/1419) 18 October 2006 businesses. Full market opening will mean that national operators will no longer have a
monopoly on mail below a certain weight (currently a maximum of 50 grams), known as
the ‘reserved area’. Member States will be allowed a flexible choice of means to finance
universal service provision or the possibility of sharing the universal service obligation
between operators. The proposal seeks to maintain the current obligations on Member
States to ensure a high quality universal service for every EU citizen. The Commission
notes that the proposed new Directive is the final step in a long reform process that has
already seen large areas of EU postal markets opened to competition, with very positive
results.

European Commission endorses The European Commission has decided that the remuneration paid to Poste Italiane for
remuneration for Poste Italiane’s the distribution of postal savings books from 2000 to 2005 is consistent with market
distribution of postal savings books, conditions and does not constitute State Aid. The Commission concluded that this
but opens investigation into its distribution meets all criteria established in the Altmark case. However, the Commission
distribution of postal bonds has opened a formal investigation under the State Aid rules into the remuneration paid to
(IP/06/1605) 22 November 2006 Poste Italiane for the distribution of postal bonds. The Commission is concerned that the
remuneration for the distribution of postal bonds might be higher than what a private
investor would have paid and could give Poste Italiane an economic advantage and thus
potentially distort competition.

European Commission endorses The European Commission has approved an aid scheme for the Swedish Post (Posten
public service compensation for AB) worth SKR 400 million (€44 million) per year over the period 2006–2007. Under the
Swedish Posten AB scheme, the Swedish authorities intend to compensate Posten AB for the public service
(IP/06/1617) 23 November 2006 cost of supplying basic cashier services throughout Sweden. The supply of basic cashier
services is carried out by Posten AB’s wholly owned subsidiary SKS AB, whose activities
are confined to services of general economic interest. The Swedish Government requires
Posten AB to supply basic payment and cash facilities services for the years 2006 and 2007
throughout Sweden. In exchange, the Swedish Government would compensate Posten
AB for the commercially unviable parts of SKS AB’s basic cashier services network.

Transport

http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/transport/index_en.html
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/energy_transport/index_en.html

European Commission selects 16 The European Commission has awarded financial support of €21.7 million to the best 16
Marco Polo projects projects submitted under the Marco Polo programme. These projects should result in an
(IP/06/1352) 11 October 2006 important transfer of freight from heavily congested roads to more environmentally-
friendly modes of transport, such as short sea shipping, rail and inland waterways. The
Commission notes that an extensive evaluation has been carried out, followed by a formal
procedure involving both the Member States and the European Parliament, which fully
endorsed the Commission’s shortlist of actions. In the mid-term review of the White
Paper on Transport, the Commission proposed to continue measures to promote
environmentally friendly modes of transport. To achieve this objective, the Marco Polo
programme supports actions in freight transport, logistics and other relevant markets.
These actions should contribute to shifting the increase in international road freight
traffic to short sea shipping, rail and inland waterways, or to a combination of modes of
transport in which road journeys are as short as possible.

European Commission approves The European Commission has authorised a Slovak scheme which is intended to encourage
Slovak aid scheme for combined the development of combined transport. The aid measures will contribute to achieve a
transport traffic shift of freight from road to other modes of transport, in particular to rail and
(IP/06/1386) 13 October 2006 inland waterway transport. European transport policy encourages the use of rail and
other environmentally friendly modes of transport as competitive alternatives to road
haulage. The subsidies granted under the Slovak scheme will pay for part of the eligible

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