Postal

Overview

The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) is the National Regulatory Authority for the postal sector in Ireland.

ComReg was established as the regulator for the postal sector by the Communications Regulation Act 2002 .

Under section 12 (1) of the Act, ComReg has a statutory objective to “promote the development of the postal sector and in particular the availability of a universal postal service within, to and from the State at an affordable price for the benefit of all users”.

ComReg's vision is of a dynamic and competitive postal services market offering a wide range of innovative, leading-edge, high-quality and competitively priced services to businesses, organisations and consumers.

ComReg’s statutory objective is to promote the development of the postal sector and in particular the availability of a Universal Postal Service within, to and from the State at an affordable price for the benefit of all users. There is no explicit objective to promote competition, although in ComReg’s view the availability of competing postal services, as envisaged in European and National Legislation, is the best way of ensuring that the Universal Service provided by An Post is fully reflective of customers needs. Full details of ComReg's Strategy Statement 2008-2010 (ComReg 08/17) are available in our publications section.

ComReg’s powers and functions are provided for in The European Communities (Postal Services) Regulations 2002 S.I. No. 616 of 2002 ("the Postal Regulations"). S.I. No.616 of 2002 replaced and revoked the European Communities (Postal Services) Regulations, 2000, S.I. No.310 of 2000 which transposed into national law the EC “Postal Directive” 97/67/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 1997. The Postal Directive establishes a harmonised regulatory framework for postal services throughout the European Union and for securing improvements in the Quality of Service provided. It defines a decision-making process regarding further opening of the postal market to competition.

Specific functions of ComReg under the Postal Regulations include setting quality of service standards for An Post, monitoring performance against this target, issuing directions to An Post regarding accounting procedures to be adopted in the preparation of its regulatory accounts, monitoring compliance with Tariff Principles and specifying features of the universal service that An Post is obliged to provide.

Under separate powers An Post cannot increase prices for reserved universal services without ComReg’s concurrence.