Postal services: further opening to competition

The Commission's amended proposal accepts 10 of the 47 amendments adopted by the European Parliament at First Reading. The Commission accepts those amendments which: - give weight to the social tasks of the Community - namely a high level of employment and social protection; - bring out the benefits of increased competitiveness; - stress that each Member State sets its detailed universal service standards and quality; - reinforce the role of national regulatory authorities; - extend the complaints procedure requirements; - improve the drafting or the positioning of existing amendments. The Commission has not accepted 36 of the 47 amendments proposed by the European Parliament which concern in particular: the advantages of competition and extent of reservable area, timetable for further step, universal service, social and employment issues, special services, access, infoeation exchange, racial and ethnic discrimination, consultation, the Compensation Fund and the Regulator's tasks.�