On 23 March 2016 the Communications Regulation Commission (CRC) held a meeting with postal operators and discussed issues related to the development of the postal sector. Representatives of Bulgarian Posts EAD, Econt Express OOD, Speedy AD, Tip – Top Courier AD, Star Post OOD, In Time OOD, Flying Cargo Bulgaria OOD, DHL Express Bulgaria EOOD, Evropat 2000 AD and Leo Express EOOD participated in the meeting.

The agenda addressed major topics of the European Regulators Group for Postal Services (ERGP) activities, a group chaired in 2016 by the Chairman of CRC – Veselin Bozhkov, Phd. The main focuses of the ERGP work related to the working methods for considering the efficiency of postal operators, analysis of the sector trends and the scope of the universal postal service, caused by the entry of the e-commerce, the reached level of market competition, the review of access regulation measures, ensuring transparency of cross-border parcels delivery, etc., were presented.

Within the discussion, the participants in the meeting discussed issues related to:

Protecting the rights of postal services end-users in Bulgaria, including problems regarding parcels delivery raised by consumers to CRC;

Role of e-commerce in building a well-functioning and competitive single market in Europe, including existing problems related to cross-border e-commerce parcels delivery.

Undertaking activities for raising the consumers’ awareness of their rights and the conditions for e-commerce parcels delivery/development of guidelines on the rights of online shoppers, etc.

Role of CRC to ensure the sustainable provision of universal postal service (UPS) and the need for changes in the assignment and scope of UPS.

Active participation of the Bulgarian postal operators in elaborating the medium-term ERGP strategy and in the upcoming seminar with postal sector stakeholders, at European level, to be held on 30 June 2016 in Bulgaria.

Administrative barriers encountered by postal operators in agreeing the general terms and conditions of contracts with consumers of postal services.

 

In conclusion, the participants in the discussion agreed to hold regular meetings with CRC, aiming to determine the priorities for cooperation, exchanging of information and undertaking coordinated actions. CRC has made a commitment to assist the Commission for Consumer Protection in accelerating the procedure for amending the contents of the UPS and non-UPS general conditions.