| 15 July 2007
So the European Parliament, after agonized deliberations dominated by trade
union champions in the full panoply of their mediaeval spendour, has finally
voted in favour of postal liberalization. But not yet, as St Augustine said
when embracing chastity.
It's a full 30 years since it became apparent to any half-wit that the market
would deliver better and cheaper postal services than nineteenth-century monopolies
with their archaic working practices.
Now, according to the EP's vote, it will be 2011 before Europe finally sees
commercial delivery of letters weighing less than 50 grams. The Commission had
hoped for 2009.
Why has it taken so long to achieve something resembling a functioning market
in postal services?
Oh, all the obvious reasons: governments not wanting to upset hundreds of thousands
of voters, economic ignorance on the part of legislators, trades unions entrenched
so deeply that you can't even see the tops of their heads.
It's happening now only because it doesn't matter any more anyway. Within a
few years even the most remote Scottish island will have wireless broadband,
and letters will be a thing of the past, for better or worse. Governments will
still waste money though and hobble the market in pursuit of the Universal Service
Obligation, making sure that Sir Peter Maxwell-Davies in his Orkney hideaway
and rich shipping magnates on obscure Greek islands continue to receive brochures
advertising lingerie and home-delivery groceries.
But at least I will be able to compete to receive the subsidy alongside the
Bundespost and Federal Express.
You have been reading an entry on the following blog:
Jeremy Hetherington-Gore Unleashed
Jeremy tackles the difficult issues head on!
Contact: jeremy@lowtax.net
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