6. Universal Service Vs. Targeted Measures towards Vulnerable People: How to Address Postal Users’ Needs?

In March 2021, the European Commission published a study by WIK Consult (WIK Consult, 2021) aiming to identify the current needs of business and private postal users. WIK Consult noticed that when discussing the future use of postal services, regulators and consumer associations are sometimes concerned about “vulnerable postal users” within the EU. Until now, except for free services for blind and partially sighted people, the regulation of the postal sector has been driven by the principles of universality, non-discrimination, and equity. In other sectors, targeted measures have been implemented in order to protect some group of users considered as “vulnerable”. This chapter deals with the pros and the cons of a “mean-tested” or targeted program, sometimes viewed as a way to mitigate the challenges faced by universal service providers and to limit the financial burden of USO.