Since the European Commission announced its ambition to reform the regulatory postal framework in the Single Market Strategy 2025, confirmed in its Work Programme 2026, several significant milestones have been reached towards this goal. Although a lot of its content and scope remain uncertain, the last few months brought some clarifications on the policy options considered and the timeline.
With the publication of the call for evidence on the existing rules, comprising the Postal Services Directive (PSD) and the Cross-Border Parcels Delivery Regulation (CBPR), the European Commission indicated its intention to modernise the framework. The revision would thus aim to ensure universal access to postal delivery services, improve user protection, ensure a level playing field among operators, support the development of cross-border delivery solutions, and reduce administrative burdens for businesses. To achieve these objectives, the policymakers are considering either operating a targeted revision of the PSD or merging the PSD and the CBPR into a single act.
Following this, the European Commission operated a more specific consultation on what the EU Delivery Act could contain. To this end, stakeholders could provide their views on the relevance of certain measures envisaged for the revision. While the examples listed below are not preempting the final text of the proposal, they provide valuable insights into the potential ways forward.
- Modernising the universal service and ensuring its financial sustainability: a potential intervention could calibrate the universal service so that it still meets user needs (including vulnerable users and SMEs), and remains reliable and future-proof, including in the event of crises. To improve its financial sustainability, the compensation mechanisms might also be revised.
- Safeguard user protection: the policymakers are looking at the relevance of amending complaint reporting and procedures for both consumers and small business users, in case of insufficient delivery performance.
- Remove the potential market fragmentation: beyond seeking to harmonise licensing and authorisation requirements for postal services, the European Commission is also envisaging whether the scope of certain rules and obligations should be broadened.
- Guarantee seamless cross-border deliveries: a revision of the postal framework could seek to ensure the quality of such services in terms of, for instance, reliability and tracking of parcels, and encourage competition.
- Reduce administrative burdens: in line with its simplification agenda, the European Commission considers notably streamlining overlapping obligations and improving the cooperation of enforcement authorities.
Whether the options above justify a regulatory intervention has yet to be determined by the European Commission, which is currently still conducting the Impact Assessment of the new EU Delivery Act. In terms of timeline, the legislative proposal is now expected to be published in the last quarter of 2026.