This paper assesses the EU postal sector policy of the second Barroso Commission from 2010 to 2014. The main goal of the Commission is to achieve a single European market for postal services. The paper distinguishes between the following three objectives, whose implementation should lead to the...

This paper analyzes whether frequency of delivery and nationwide coverage obligations constitute USO net costs. With no USO on home delivery in place, the USP may be able to increase profits by optimizing its delivery services. Three such optimizations are scrutinized in detail: (1) adjusting...

Universal service providers (USP) are increasingly active in business segments other than the segment consisting of their Universal Service Obligation (USO). Price regulation of USO services is usually cost-oriented and differentiated between USO- and non-USO-products. Hence, regulatory rules on...

This paper enhances the defender model by explicitly modeling the cost associated with quality attributes. It considers two firms and two quality attributes which cause fixed and variable cost, respectively, together with the price attribute. Hence, firms compete in three dimensions. The optimal...

This paper assesses the potential of a combined “USO in communications”, i.e. a USO that simultaneously defines the physical and digital requirements for the conveyance of communication irrespective of the specific sector.

This paper explains the potentially excessive termination charges and low quality levels in the international parcel market with a stylized game theoretic model. Within this model it is possible to elaborate the distortions currently in place. The model incorporates quality to account for...

This volume, the result of the 21st Conference on Postal and Delivery Economics (Ireland, 2013), describes the continuing problem of the decline of the postal sector in the face of electronic competition and offers strategies for the survival of mail services in a digital age.

In 2013, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) announced plans to discontinue the delivery of letters and flats on Saturdays, while continuing parcels delivery. The paper analyses the financial effects of the plan based on a bottom-up delivery model.

Rail passenger transport services with integrated regular interval timetables (IRIT) offer passengers a regular interval timetable for services on the railway network. IRIT have the potential to increase the quality and attractiveness of railway passenger services in comparison to other...

This paper reports on the implementation of stated preference discrete choice experiments (SPDCEs) to measure business and residential consumers’ preferences for specific aspects of postal services in three European member states: Italy, Poland and Sweden.