PostNL asks government for €80m to cover letter delivery
The postal company says rising costs of its legal duty to deliver mail justify the payment next year, and wants a new law that would allow slower delivery.
PostNL wants €80m in compensation from the government for next year, because the cost of its legally required mail delivery keeps rising. The company said so on Tuesday.
PostNL says costs climb because fewer people and companies send letters, while it must still deliver. According to PostNL, the volume of mail has fallen by 70% in 20 years. The company puts its losses at a total of €148m in 2025, 2026 and 2027, which it blames on having to follow outdated rules.
The costs arising from a legal obligation cannot be placed on the company. This uncertainty puts unacceptable pressure on the postal company and our employees.Maurice Unck, director of post at PostNL
PostNL also urges the cabinet to bring in the new Postwet (postal law) quickly. The bill has been with the Tweede Kamer since 2020. PostNL currently has to follow rules from 2009.
Since last July, letters are delivered within two days instead of one. Under the new law, PostNL would be allowed a maximum of three days for letters and cards. The company wants to scale back further and, in future, stop delivering mail on Saturdays.
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Tweede Kamer
The House of Representatives, the lower and more powerful house of the Dutch parliament. Its 150 members are elected directly; it can amend bills and holds the cabinet to account.
Postwet
The Postwet is the Dutch Postal Act, the national law that sets the rules for postal services in the Netherlands. It defines the universal postal service that providers such as PostNL must deliver across the country, and it is supervised by the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM). The current law dates from 2009, and a replacement is being prepared in parliament.