The document discusses the Dutch postal market and changes to the postal directive. It summarizes mail volume forecasts and actual declines between 2003-2014 of 3-4% and 8-10% per year, respectively. The universal service obligation currently requires 6-day collection and delivery but changed in 2014 to 5 days. This allows reductions in letter boxes from 19,000 to around 8,700 and postal agencies from 2,500 to around 1,000. Future changes may focus on the main USO cost drivers of letter boxes, agencies, and quality of service standards, but the directive limiting collection and delivery to 5 days per week constrains further modernization.

1. The Dutch Postal
Market and the Postal
Directive
Jeroen Sas
Ministry of Economic Affairs
The Netherlands
21/11/2014

2. Mail volume developments
Forecast WIK (2011) Actual
2010-2020 2003-2014
Ministry 2 of Economic Affairs
21/11/2014
Total USO mail
decline (volume)
3.8 – 6.5% per year
32% - 49% in total
(Range based on 3 scenarios)
2003 /2009: 3% - 4%
2010 /2014: 8% - 10%

3. Impact and consumer preference
Ministry 3 of Economic Affairs
21/11/2014
• (Strong) unit cost increase
• USO users value the price of USO services the highest. Less
important characteristics of USO services are QoS and distance to
letter box and/or postal agencies.

4. USO requirements
Current situation
USO requirements (< 2014):
• 6 days/week collection and delivery
• Specific requirements result in 19,000 letter boxes.
• Specific requirements result in 2,500 postal agencies.
Modernisation
• January 1st 2014: 5 days/week collection and delivery.
• Proposal: changes in requirements allow for reduction to app.
8,700 letter boxes.
• Proposal: changes in requirements for reduction to app. 1,000
postal agencies.
Ministry 4 of Economic Affairs
21/11/2014

5. Ministry 5 of Economic Affairs
21/11/2014
Future changes?
• Main cost drivers USO: letter boxes, postal agencies and QoS
• Postal Directive requirement for 5 days/week collection and
delivery is an important limitation for future USO modernisation.
• Support call in WIK Report 2013 for more flexible definition of
universal service.

6. Questions? Thank you!
Jeroen Sas
Ministry of Economic Affairs
The Netherlands
j.w.f.sas@minez.nl
21/11/2014