ANACOM has released the latest report on the network of postal establishments belonging to CTT - Correios de Portugal, S. A. (CTT), the universal postal service concessionaire, and other entities providing CTT concession services as at the end of the first half of 2012.
This report highlights that, as at the end of 1st half of 2012, there were 2567 postal establishments in operation, six more than at the end of 2011. Of this total, 750 corresponded to permanent post offices, 24 fewer than at the end of 2011, 9 to mobile post offices and 1808 to postal agencies, which represents an increase of 30 agencies compared to the end of 2011.
Overall, over the period being reported, the total number of postal establishments remained in line with the end of 2011. There was at least one post office reported in every municipality, while in 293 municipalities (95.1 percent of total), there were two or more postal establishments, a concept that includes not only post offices but also postal agencies.
Analyzing the distribution of the network of postal establishments by parish, it is reported that from the total of 4,241 parishes (2001 Census), there is at least one establishment in 2183 parishes, representing 51.4 percent of parishes. Meanwhile, there is also at least one postal establishment in 28.9 percent of parishes with less than 1000 inhabitants, (626 parishes, two more than at the end of 2011).There is also at least one postal establishment (1557 parishes, the same number as at the end of 2011) in 74.9 percent of parishes with 1,000 or more inhabitants.
According to CTT, at the end of 1st half 2012, all post offices provided the full range of all concession services, whereas 38.4 percent of postal agencies, i.e. 695 in total (as at the end of 2011), do not provide the postal parcels service while providing the remaining concession services.
Based on available data on the networks of permanent postal establishments belonging to universal service providers in EU Member States, with reference to 2011, it can be concluded that the situation in Portugal compares favourably with the EU average (excluding Portugal), both in terms of postal coverage (average area, in km2, per permanent postal establishment) and in terms of density index (average number of inhabitants per permanent postal establishment).
In Portugal, 29 percent of the network of permanent postal establishments is comprised of post offices managed by CTT. The remaining 71 percent are managed by third parties; according to 2011 data from the Universal Postal Union (UPU), this is lower than reported in Sweden (84 percent), Finland (87 percent), Denmark (88 percent), Cyprus (95 percent), Ireland (95 percent), United Kingdom (97 percent), Netherlands (100 percent) and Germany (100 percent).
Pursuant to the universal postal service concession, ANACOM received 54 notifications from CTT, as follows: 20 regarding the closure of post offices and their replacement by post agencies, of which 17 are managed by parishes; 4 referring to the closure of post offices; 2 on the opening of new post offices; 24 on reducing the opening hours of post offices; and 4 on extending the opening hours of post offices.
Consult:
- Network of postal establishments of CTT - Correios de Portugal, S.A., at the end of the first half of 2012 https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1143345
