Dutch regulatory body the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has found that PostNL failed to clearly share part of its tariffs and conditions for mail delivery with other postal companies.
It claims that as a result, Van Straaten Post and Intrapost, two smaller rival postal companies, did not know what conditions they needed to fulfill in order to qualify for discounts. Because of this the two companies were not able to draw up well-substantiated offers for their business customers.
ACM has therefore imposed an order subject to periodic penalty payments on PostNL, forcing the company to change its way of operating. PostNL will have to pay a penalty payment of 100,000 (US$110,000) per week (up to a maximum of 1m (US$1.1m)).
Henk Don, member of the board of ACM, said, “PostNL will have to enable its competitors to draw up well-substantiated offers. That is not happening right now. It directly hurts the competitive positions of these smaller companies. Competition in the postal market is thus harmed, which is not good for the tariffs that customers are charged.”
PostNL has issued a statement saying that it directly opposes the decision by ACM and that it will be appealing the decision.
The statement reads, “PostNL is transparent. However, transparency should benefit healthy competition. In its decision, ACM requires PostNL to be transparent in advance about the tariffs it offers its business clients. Conversely, any other mail company is not required to do so. This does not result in a level playing field. This is expected to harm a healthy, competitive market and with that the general interest to maintain a reliable and accessible mail delivery network for all Dutch residents in the long term.”
December 14, 2015