Madrid, 28 and 29 June – The European Committee for Postal Regulation (CERP) held its 57^th Plenary meeting, as part of which a regulatory forum was also organized, attended by the representatives of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), Postal Union of the Americas, Spain and Portugal (PUASP) and European regulators group for postal services (ERGP). The forum, in which participated around 150 representatives of the above organizations, represents one of the postal regulation largest events in 2022, with hot topics such as the application of new technologies in the postal regulation process, future of universal postal service and inclusion of private postal operators in the UPU.

Within the session regarding the application of new technologies in the postal regulation process,  RATEL’s representative, Mila Milošević, demonstrated the use of GIS – geographic information system as a tool of support for reaching regulatory decisions within RATEL’s competence. Concrete examples were shown of the ways in which postal regulators can use GIS as a tool to operate within their authority in the area of universal postal service (UPS) accessibility, as well as the future plans of the development of GIS in RATEL. RATEL’s experience incited a great interest of the participants as a showcase of good practice, with the representatives of Sweden and Turkey being particularly eager about possible cooperation in this area.

Within the session dedicated to the future of universal postal service, RATEL’s representative, dr Nikola Trubint, acting as Vice Chair of CERP, presented possible solution to the UPS concept reform. Other contributors at the above session were: Masahiko Metoki, UPU Director General, dr Franklin Castro, PUASP Secretary General and Petros Galides, 2023 ERGP Chair. The analysis during the lecture offered a perspective on how to modify the concept and definition of universal postal service by shifting regulation away from postal services to postal network management.

RATEL’s delegation, led by Ljubomir Ostojić, Head of Postal Services Department, took part both in the CERP meeting and ERGP Plenary.