Today, 1st October 2011, the responsibility for regulating postal services moves from Postcomm to Ofcom.
Early in August Ofcom published a consultation document on the transition to the new regulatory framework. The document focused on a number of key areas which Ofcom either must do, or has the discretionary power to do:
• Ofcom may provisionally designate a universal service provider (Royal Mail)
• Approve a consumer redress scheme and require postal operators to be a member of that scheme
• Ofcom must, in effect, transpose the existing licence conditions into initial conditions to apply under the general authorisation, as appropriate consumer protection conditions.
• The preparation of a statement of the principles that Ofcom are proposing to apply in fixing administrative charges for that year.
• Ofcom must also prepare and publish a statement of policy on information gathering
Ofcom has also published a supplement to its Annual Plan 2011/12. This document sets out the work that Ofcom expects to undertake once it takes over regulation of the postal sector in October until the end of the financial year.
For further details click here
