The Postal Regulation Forum, promoted by the UPAEP working group responsible for regulatory affairs (WG RA), held a videoconference on 29 September 2020, with more than 100 participants from 23 member countries. The UPAEP secretary-general, Roberto Cavanna, highlighted the opening of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) to the wider postal sector and the need for solid postal regulation (as demonstrated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic) as the year’s most relevant issues.
The UPAEP has dedicated a large part of its activity raising awareness about the importance of regulation in the postal sector and training in that area. To that end, it has counted on part of the aliquot of Portugal which ANACOM donated to finance studies about the existence of independent regulatory bodies in the UPAEP member countries, guides about operator registration or about the implementation of cost accounting systems, among other actions. At this 2020 Forum, it was concluded that:
- in general terms, the legal frameworks of the UPAEP countries are obsolete;
- in recent months several countries have closed the historic postal operator, which led to nonfulfillment of the obligations to guarantee universal service;
- there are still only a few member countries interested in the training and technical tools provided by the UPAEP to encourage development of postal regulation;
- regulation of the postal sector must be strengthened, because it is the best way to protect consumers’ rights, offer legal security, promote competition and determine rate policies, among other advantages; and
- it is necessary to raise authorities’ awareness about the benefits of modernisation and postal regulation as a strategy for social cohesion and inclusion and for national development (specific actions will be proposed).
