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The Ministry of Transport and Communications is responsible for
the general guidelines on postal services and their development.
The Ministry also prepares applications related to operating
licences for postal services for the Government to take decisions
on.
The Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority (FICORA), which is subordinate to the Ministry, is also involved in developing postal services. FICORA's duties include monitoring compliance with the provisions of the Postal Services Act and processing customer complaints. FICORA also appoints the company providing a universal postal service.
Finland is a member of the Universal Postal Union, UPU. UPU regulates the postal services between its member countries. It is part of the UN organisation and it has 191 member countries.
Postal services in Finland are regulated by the Postal Act (415/2011), which came into effect on June 1st, 2011. The new Act guarantees delivery on five days, a moderately priced letter and parcel service and the maintenance of a network of places providing postal services. The Act conforms to the European Union Postal Directive.
A central part of the Postal Act is that basic postal services are guaranteed nationally both in cities and in sparsely populated areas. The obligation to provide postal delivery on five days falls on the postal company appointed to provide the universal service.
The universal services defined in the Act must be provided at a reasonable price. A universal service standard letter must cost the same throughout the country. In practice universal services include services paid for by consumers in cash. The Act also defines the service levels for these kinds of letter services.
An operating licence is required for postal services involving the sending of letters. The Government grants licences. Invitations to apply for operating licences are not published separately.
The Government grants an operating licence for a fixed period of a maximum of ten years. An applicant for an operating licence is obliged to pay the state a EUR 1,000 application fee at the time of making the application.
Applications for operating licences are regulated by Government decree (551/2011).
Postal Services
The Ministry of Transport and Communications is responsible for
the general guidelines on postal services and their development.
The Ministry also prepares applications related to operating
licences for postal services for the Government to take decisions
on.
The Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority (FICORA), which is subordinate to the Ministry, is also involved in developing postal services. FICORA's duties include monitoring compliance with the provisions of the Postal Services Act and processing customer complaints. FICORA also appoints the company providing a universal postal service.
Finland is a member of the Universal Postal Union, UPU. UPU regulates the postal services between its member countries. It is part of the UN organisation and it has 191 member countries.
Postal services in Finland are regulated by the Postal Act (415/2011), which came into effect on June 1st, 2011. The new Act guarantees delivery on five days, a moderately priced letter and parcel service and the maintenance of a network of places providing postal services. The Act conforms to the European Union Postal Directive.
A central part of the Postal Act is that basic postal services are guaranteed nationally both in cities and in sparsely populated areas. The obligation to provide postal delivery on five days falls on the postal company appointed to provide the universal service.
The universal services defined in the Act must be provided at a reasonable price. A universal service standard letter must cost the same throughout the country. In practice universal services include services paid for by consumers in cash. The Act also defines the service levels for these kinds of letter services.
An operating licence is required for postal services involving the sending of letters. The Government grants licences. Invitations to apply for operating licences are not published separately.
The Government grants an operating licence for a fixed period of a maximum of ten years. An applicant for an operating licence is obliged to pay the state a EUR 1,000 application fee at the time of making the application.
Applications for operating licences are regulated by Government decree (551/2011).