The reform of the outdated postal law is getting underway. The Federal Cabinet approved a proposal from the Federal Ministry of Economics, as the German Press Agency learned from government circles.
The rules, which date back to the 1990s, are intended to be adapted to changing demand in the Internet age. It is now the turn of the Bundestag and Bundesrat; the reform could be finalized in the spring of next year.
Consumers will probably have to wait longer for letters
According to the federal government’s plans, Deutsche Post will have less time pressure when it comes to sending letters in the future. This allows it to reduce costs and stop the usual transport of letters using night flights. For consumers, this means that they will probably have to wait longer for letters than before. The post office currently has to deliver at least 80 percent of the letters posted today on the next working day. In the future, there will only be a minimum value for the third working day after they are posted, then 95 percent. Letters will therefore take longer to travel, but they should arrive reliably.
The rules for the use of subcontractors should be tightened, and parcels weighing more than 10 kilos should also be marked – this is intended to prevent parcel carriers from making a fuss. According to the project, packages that are heavier than 20 kilos must be transported either by two people or with a technical aid. This regulation is also intended to prevent back problems.
