Welcome Postal Users Group

The Postal Users Group (PUG) is an ad hoc platform of major EU postal users and their representative organisations.

Since its formation in 1996 PUG has been actively promoting the creation of an Internal Market for postal services. Throughout we have worked closely with DG Internal Market.

The European Mail Manifesto: growth, partnership and innovation in a changing industry

The Postal Users´ Group has issued a manifesto on the main interests of business users of postal services to encourage the European Commission to take the postal users´ needs into account during its preparations of its proposals on postal services this year.

PUG, an alliance of the major postal users representing 15 trade associations and businesses, points out in its manifesto that the postal services cover a very wide range of businesses and systems. The letter mail business of Europe´s postal operators represent about 1 million jobs and revenues of 47 billion euro; however, PUG shows that the wider sector accounts for an additional 4 million jobs and over 156 billion euro of revenues. Therefore, the wider postal sector accounts for 5 million jobs and a total contribution of 203 billion euro to the European economy.

The European Commission´s proposals will impact on a few wider range of businesses and services than just letter mail. Business mailers, which PUG represents, generate about 90% of postal volumes-including parcels, packages, express mail and courier, as well as letter mail. Getting the future vision right is essential for this vast sector. The manifesto identifies the principles which should guide the postal sector and help it re-invent itself in the fast moving environment of changing customer needs, new technologies, the shareholders´ pressures, etc.

In the foreword to the manifesto, the European Parliament´s “Rapporteur” on Postal Services and senior member of the Transport Committee, Mr Markus Ferber MEP, said “This study…demonstrates the extent to which the market is changing. Given the nature of these changes and their effects on industry and consumers alike, it is important to examine and evaluate in detail what these developments can entail for businesses and society”.

The Mail Manifesto can be downloaded here (3.4 mb).

FEDMA holds the secretariat for the PUG. For further information, please contact Wout van Wijk.