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The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act After 10 Years—Some Proposals for Reform Read chapter Read first chapter

2017 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

A Case Study of Density of Retail Outlets in Portugal: Regulation and Politics in Postal Markets

Authors : João Confraria, Vítor Miguel Ribeiro, Agostinho Franco, Frederico Pereira

Published in: The Changing Postal and Delivery Sector

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

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Abstract

Under the Postal Services Directive (Directive 97/67/EC, amended by Directive 2002//39/EC and by Directive 2008/6/EC.) (henceforth, Directive), and in the framework of the universal service obligation (USO), European Union's (EU) Member States (MS) shall take steps to ensure that the density of points of contact and of access points takes into account users’ needs.

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Appendix
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Footnotes
1
Directive 97/67/EC, amended by Directive 2002//39/EC and by Directive 2008/6/EC.
 
2
Network density has been defined by EU MS including other variables not considered here, as for example minimum operating hours.
 
3
Currently the concession contract includes: (1) the provision of the universal postal, including the registered mail service used in court and administrative proceedings; (2) the issue and sale of stamps, stamped post cards and other stamped items bearing the word “Portugal”; (3) the sitting of letterboxes on the public highway intended for the deposit of postal items by users; (4) the provision of postal money orders and (5) the provision of the electronic mailbox public service. The concession also includes the maintenance, development and operation of the postal network allocated to the concession.
 
4
And changes in opening hours as well.
 
5
In theoretical welfare economics this would amount to designing an appropriate (limited) social welfare function.
 
6
Decree-Law no 246/2003.
 
7
Decree-Law no. 116/2003.
 
8
Or reduction of the opening hours of estações.
 
9
Base XV and Base XX, no 3, of the universal service concession, as amended by Decree-Law no. 160/2013.
 
10
Infrastructures provided for the public, where postal items may be deposited in the postal network by users.
 
11
Base XV, no 5, of the universal service concession, as amended by Decree-Law no. 160/2013.
 
12
Please refer to the Appendix for the list of objectives. For more details, please refer to the decision of ANACOM of 28 August 2014, available at www.​anacom.​pt.
 
13
ANACOM (2012). According to this survey, the level of satisfaction of users in relation to the postal network was very positive, with “Location” of the outlets giving rise to highest levels of satisfaction among users of outlets during 2012 [average evaluation of 8.5 points in a scale ranging from 1 (not important) to 10 (very important)]. “Accessibility for people with special needs” and “waiting time” generated lowest levels of satisfaction (average evaluation of 7.5 and 7.8 respectively), in both cases still a very positive evaluation by users. The average level of satisfaction with “Opening hours” was 8.2. Users of outlets mostly used branches located in their area of residence (75.1 %).
 
14
The survey conducted in 2012 (ANACOM 2012) did not capture relevant differences in the level of satisfaction across different areas (NUTS II) of Portugal. Occasional press reports suggested that, in areas where estações (outlets strictly operated by CTT) had been replaced by postos (operated by local retailers), satisfaction levels recovered after initial surge of complaints.
 
15
Apparently CTT managed to change network density from 2004 to 2013, maintaining relatively high level of consumer satisfaction at country level. This suggests some management capabilities to deal with the problem. However the decline in traffic also helped, of course, reducing demand for access to postal outlets.
 
16
The smallest administrative territorial jurisdiction.
 
Literature
ANACOM. (2012). Survey on the use of postal services—residential population in December 2012.
ANACOM. (2014). Approval of the objectives and rules governing density of the postal network and minimum services of CTT, August 28, 2014.
Boldron, F., Dewulf, K., Joram, D., Panet, C., Roy, B., & Vialaneix, O. (2008). Accessibility of the postal retail network, social cohesion and economic development. In M. A. Crew & P. R. Kleindorfer (Eds.), Competition and regulation in the postal and delivery sector (pp. 47–61). Cheltenham, UK and Northampton, US: Edward Elgar.
Borsenberger, C., Joram, D., & Roy, B. (2011). How many outlets if the USP does not face any USO? A cross-country comparison. In M. A. Crew & P. R. Kleindorfer (Eds.), Reinventing the postal sector in an electronic age (pp. 123–141). Cheltenham, UK and Northampton MA, US: Edward Elgar.
Borsenberger, C. (2014). Accessibility/proximity in the digital age: What does it mean for postal networks and postal services? In M. A. Crew & T. J. Brennan (Eds.), The role of the postal and delivery sector in a digital age (pp. 267–279). Cheltenham, UK and Lyme, US: Edward Elgar.
Cohen, R., Di Paola, L., Sheehy, R., & Comandini, V. V. (2008). The distribution of post offices in Italy and the United States. In M. A. Crew & P. R. Kleindorfer (Eds.), Competition and regulation in the postal and delivery sector (pp. 36–46). Cheltenham, UK and Lyme, US: Edward Elgar.
Panzar, J. C., & Waterson, M. (1991). Is postal service a natural monopoly? Comments. In M. A. Crew & P. R. Kleindorfer (Eds.), Competition and innovation in postal services (pp. 219–231). Boston, US: Springer.CrossRef
Metadata
Title
A Case Study of Density of Retail Outlets in Portugal: Regulation and Politics in Postal Markets
Authors
João Confraria
Vítor Miguel Ribeiro
Agostinho Franco
Frederico Pereira
Copyright Year
2017
Book
The Changing Postal and Delivery Sector

Print ISBN: 978-3-319-46045-1

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-319-46046-8

Copyright Year: 2017

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46046-8_7

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