On
11 July 2017, the TRAN Committee of the European Parliament rejected the
Cross-border parcel delivery Regulation proposal. The EPP in the transport
committee voted down the compromise proposals put forward by the Socialists and
Democrats that aimed at addressing a number of obstacles to cross-border parcel
deliveries.
Despite the lobbying efforts of UNI Europa Post & Logistics
affiliates (Policy positions annexed), the proposed and supported
Compromise Amendments were rejected at the level of the transport
committee. As the area of parcel delivery holds a tremendous potential
for further growth in the sector, postal unions vehemently supported and
demanded that the European legislators establish a level-playing field
in terms of competition and access to the cross-border parcels market
segments.
High costs and lack of transparency are reported as a key obstacle to
the further development of this sector by online consumers and small
businesses when it comes to cross-border delivery of items bought and
sold online. The key points of the rejected proposal included the
installation of requirements for all delivery companies active in
cross-border parcel delivery to report the prices of a range of
cross-border parcel services to enable national authorities to identify
fares deemed unreasonably high; an annual assessment report on parcel
tariffs to the Commission and national authorities and a dedicated
Commission website to ensure transparency in the parcel sector as a
whole to provide consumers and small businesses with more information on
available options.
The postal unions wanted to achieve a level-playing field when it comes
to reporting by all competitors in the market including rogue players or
SMEs. We recommended the adoption of a large scope of reporting
obligations covering the business and labour models of all market
players to avoid instances of social dumping or unfair competition
through the use of precarious or atypical forms of employment and
subcontracted activities. UNI Europa Post & Logistics affiliates
lobbied in order to obtain reporting obligations for all market players
and not just the incumbent postal operators.
The rejected proposals by the EPP were drafted by S&D Rapporteur
Lucy Anderson, MEP. UNI Europa Post & Logistics supported these
drafts, which were in the interests of postal and logistics workers,
European consumers and small businesses alike. The same papers sketched
out a specific monitoring role for the dedicated postal sector Social
Dialogue Committee. Biljana Borzan, S&D MEP and responsible for
online deliveries in the internal market committee had harnessed broad
support in the internal market committee for the proposal.
UNI Europa Post & Logistics expresses its disappointment from the
lack of support on behalf of the EPP and reiterates its continued
support to the S&D appointed Rapporteurs. We will pursue our
lobbying efforts on this important piece of legislation for the sector.
Following the rejection of the proposal by the parliamentary Committee,
the originating institution, i.e. the Commission will be asked to
withdraw the draft legislative act. If the Commission withdraws the
proposal, the procedure is declared closed. If the Commission does not
withdraw the draft legislative act, the Parliament can either announce
the first reading of Parliament as concluded, or on a proposal of the
Chair or rapporteur of the committee responsible, Parliament can decide
to refer the matter back to the committee responsible for
reconsideration. UNI Europa Post & Logistics wishes that the
European Parliament, should the Commission not withdraw the act, decides
to refer the matter back to the Transport Committee for reconsideration
with the full association of the Employment and Social Affairs and
Internal Market Committees.
The next meeting of the TRAN Committee and the Group of coordinators is
scheduled in September 2017. UNI Europa Post & Logistics will keep
you informed of the procedural developments on this legislative file in
due course.
Related files:
mmittee of the European Parliament rejected the Cross-border parcel
delivery Regulation proposal. The EPP in the transport committee voted
down the compromise proposals put forward by the Socialists and
Democrats that aimed at addressing a number of obstacles to cross-border
parcel deliveries.
Despite the lobbying efforts of UNI Europa Post & Logistics
affiliates (Policy positions annexed), the proposed and supported
Compromise Amendments were rejected at the level of the transport
committee. As the area of parcel delivery holds a tremendous potential
for further growth in the sector, postal unions vehemently supported and
demanded that the European legislators establish a level-playing field
in terms of competition and access to the cross-border parcels market
segments.
High costs and lack of transparency are reported as a key obstacle to
the further development of this sector by online consumers and small
businesses when it comes to cross-border delivery of items bought and
sold online. The key points of the rejected proposal included the
installation of requirements for all delivery companies active in
cross-border parcel delivery to report the prices of a range of
cross-border parcel services to enable national authorities to identify
fares deemed unreasonably high; an annual assessment report on parcel
tariffs to the Commission and national authorities and a dedicated
Commission website to ensure transparency in the parcel sector as a
whole to provide consumers and small businesses with more information on
available options.
The postal unions wanted to achieve a level-playing field when it comes
to reporting by all competitors in the market including rogue players or
SMEs. We recommended the adoption of a large scope of reporting
obligations covering the business and labour models of all market
players to avoid instances of social dumping or unfair competition
through the use of precarious or atypical forms of employment and
subcontracted activities. UNI Europa Post & Logistics affiliates
lobbied in order to obtain reporting obligations for all market players
and not just the incumbent postal operators.
The rejected proposals by the EPP were drafted by S&D Rapporteur
Lucy Anderson, MEP. UNI Europa Post & Logistics supported these
drafts, which were in the interests of postal and logistics workers,
European consumers and small businesses alike. The same papers sketched
out a specific monitoring role for the dedicated postal sector Social
Dialogue Committee. Biljana Borzan, S&D MEP and responsible for
online deliveries in the internal market committee had harnessed broad
support in the internal market committee for the proposal.
UNI Europa Post & Logistics expresses its disappointment from the
lack of support on behalf of the EPP and reiterates its continued
support to the S&D appointed Rapporteurs. We will pursue our
lobbying efforts on this important piece of legislation for the sector.
Following the rejection of the proposal by the parliamentary Committee,
the originating institution, i.e. the Commission will be asked to
withdraw the draft legislative act. If the Commission withdraws the
proposal, the procedure is declared closed. If the Commission does not
withdraw the draft legislative act, the Parliament can either announce
the first reading of Parliament as concluded, or on a proposal of the
Chair or rapporteur of the committee responsible, Parliament can decide
to refer the matter back to the committee responsible for
reconsideration. UNI Europa Post & Logistics wishes that the
European Parliament, should the Commission not withdraw the act, decides
to refer the matter back to the Transport Committee for reconsideration
with the full association of the Employment and Social Affairs and
Internal Market Committees.
The next meeting of the TRAN Committee and the Group of coordinators is
scheduled in September 2017. UNI Europa Post & Logistics will keep
you informed of the procedural developments on this legislative file in
due course.
