Postal services are services that include the acceptance, routing, transport and delivery of postal items. The postal services market is shared by providers listed in the agency’s official register.
The agency’s operation in the field of postal services is governed by the Postal Services Act (ZPSto-2). The Act provides that the agency must act transparently and ensure that, in similar circumstances, there is no discrimination between providers and users of postal services. Through its operation, the agency seeks to ensure that users are provided with high-quality, reliable and affordable postal services, and its powers include monitoring the quality of and the manner in which the universal postal service is provided, as well as adopting appropriate measures in the event of a failure to provide the postal service.
Market liberalization
The liberalisation of the postal services market in Slovenia took place gradually from 1997 onwards. Since 3 August 2009, the Postal Services Act has been in force; in substance, it pursues the principles of Postal Directive 2008/6/EC and ensures the full liberalisation of the postal sector. The Act abolished the exclusive right to provide reserved postal services (the conveyance of letters and postcards weighing less than 50 g), as from 1 January 2011 these services may also be provided by other postal service providers, including providers of interchangeable postal services, who are also entitled to access to the network.
Providers of interchangeable postal services
Providers of interchangeable postal services provide services which, from the user perspective, may be regarded as services falling within the scope of the universal service, as they are sufficiently interchangeable with the universal service. If the agency establishes this on the basis of a notification, it issues a declaratory decision.
Providers of interchangeable postal services are required to:
contribute to the compensation fund to cover the net costs of the universal postal service,
pay an annual fee to the agency, and
comply with all provisions applicable to postal service providers and laid down in ZPSto-2 or in secondary legislation adopted on the basis thereof.
Confidentiality of letter mail
Postal service providers may not obtain information about the content of postal items or data concerning the facts and circumstances of postal operations. If this is necessary for the provision of postal services and for handling complaints and appeals, they may obtain such information only to the extent and for no longer than is necessary for the provision of postal services and for handling complaints and appeals.
The confidentiality of postal items is set out in greater detail in Article 53 of of ZPSto-2.