ANC Launches The Procedure for The Designation of A Universal Service Provider in The Field of Postal Services

ANC launched the procedure for the designation of one or several Universal Service Provider(s) in the field of postal services that will have the obligation to provide, until 31 December 2012, the services included in the scope of universal service for which they are designated. Thus, the end-users’ right to benefit from the uninterrupted provision of postal services within the scope of universal service, at creating quality standards, at any point on the Romanian territory, at accessible tariffs, will be ensured.

The designated provider will have the obligation to provide, throughout the country, the following: clearance, sorting, transport and delivery of domestic and cross-border correspondence items, printed matter and direct mail items weighing up to (including) 2 kg, clearance, sorting, transport and delivery of domestic and cross-border parcels weighing up to (including) 10 kg, distribution of the parcels weighing between 10 kg and (including) 20 kg sent from abroad to an address situated on the territory of Romania.

The persons interested in becoming universal service providers may submit a designation request for at least one of the above-mentioned services, together with the commitment to providing the registered item service and the insured item service for the chosen service(s).

The designation requests are received at the ANC headquarters in 2 Delea Noua Street, Sector 3, Bucharest or to the ANC territorial offices, by 9 March 2009, 14.00.

The winner will be designated based on the coverage of the national territory guaranteed, including the density of the access and contact points of the postal networks operated by itself or by other postal service providers with which it has concluded contracts therefor, its experience in providing the postal services within the scope of universal service for which the designation was requested or other postal services, the technical, economic and financial capacity, the capacity of ensuring an even tariff level for the services within the scope of universal service provided countrywide, the net cost of providing the postal services within the scope of universal service for which the designation was requested as well as other relevant data presented by the requester.

ANC will analyse the requests and will designate the winner by 25 April 2009. The designated provider will have the obligation to provide services within the scope of universal service between 25 April 2009 and 31 December 2012.

If no postal service operator submits a designation request in view of providing the services within the scope of universal service on the Romanian territory, ANC will designate a Universal Service Provider ex officio.