On 12 October 2026, the Federal Network Agency published its draft decision in the so-called ‘performance indicators procedure’. In this decision, it sets out the scope Deutsche Post will have in future when adjusting its tariffs. The additional costs incurred by the company as a result of the statutory requirements for nationwide postal service coverage – known as ‘burdens’ – play a significant role.
The Monopolies Commission criticises the Federal Network Agency for recognising too many costs as ‘burdens’. In its view, this leads to significantly inflated charges for private customers in the letter and parcel sectors, as well as for business customers in the letter sector. It therefore stands by its recommendations from the 2025 Postal Sector Report.
The Monopolies Commission has issued a statement on the Federal Network Agency’s draft decision, focusing in particular on the costs of the branch network. The reason for this is that the Federal Network Agency appears to be planning a significant shift in regulatory practice in this area compared with previous decisions.
The Monopolies Commission recommends:
- That the recognition of branch costs be rejected across the board.
- Should the Federal Network Agency decide against a blanket rejection, it should not adopt Deutsche Post’s assessment criteria but should determine these itself or commission a neutral third party appointed by it to do so.
