Norwegian mayors support not accepting postal directive

Publié: 26 Août 2009
Google translate: 

Norwegian mayors have used the summer to sign a petition opposing the post-directive. 151 municipalities have signed to say they believe that government should use their reservation right and not to implement the 3rd EU Postal Directive. Mayors from all parties have indicated their support for the claim.



The petition says that the mayors fear that both the service and quality will be drastically degraded. Worse and more expensive mail services will weaken the competitiveness of local businesses and will also be detrimental to the residents.



"Norwegian local authorities, fear that the EU Directive mail will give people and businesses in rural poor and expensive postal services. They don't want themselves to be sacrificed on the altar of free market liberalism", says Odd Christian Øverland, President of Postkom, UNI P&L's Norwegian affiliate.



Postkom initiated the petition among the mayors of many municipalities who had already reacted against the directive.



"We now expect that this will be a central issue in the election campaign and that the parties must listen to local elected representatives. Previous studies show that the people are saying no to postal directive, and now it is the rebellion in the municipality of Norway. We note that especially many of the mayors who represent the rural areas that are opposed to the directive. The government should listen", Overland says.



A total of 65 of the Labor Party and 44 of the Center Party's mayors have joined the petition. Opposition to the directive is also big among the opposition parties that essentially had signalled that they will support the directive. 25 mayors from the Christian Democratic Party, Liberals, Conservatives and Progress Party have signed the petition.