The Challenge
The European Express Association (EEA), an organisation defending the interests of express delivery companies throughout Europe, wanted its services to be recognised as competitive, value-added and separate from national postal services. The EEA aimed to remove barriers that impeded the free flow of goods on the European market and affected the cost and quality of delivery services available to customers.
The Solution
Throughout a relationship spanning over a decade, APCO provided the EEA with strategies and tactical support aimed at achieving a fair and open European delivery services market and helped communicate to regulators the uniqueness of the value-added services express delivery companies bring to customers across Europe and globally. This support helped to obtain legal certainty for express delivery service providers through harmonization and ultimately removal of postal monopolies at the EU level.
APCO assisted the EEA in creating a long-term strategy to engage the European Commission, members of the European Parliament and member states in differentiating the industry and facilitating progressive liberalisation of the market for delivery services in Europe. The campaign included timely tactics aimed at building long-term relationships with key EU stakeholders, taking into consideration the different phases of the postal liberalisation process. APCO helped the EEA build strong relationships with liberalisation champions in the EU environment and alliances with likeminded organisations, including incumbent postal companies.
The Result
The campaign culminated in the European Parliament and the EU member states agreeing to open the EU postal market to full liberalisation by 31 December 2010.
The EEA is considered by many to be one of the foremost champions of the process of postal market liberalisation. The express industry is recognised as a key player in the future competitive delivery services market in Europe, and the EEA has established excellent contacts with all target audiences and stakeholders in the region.
Since 1996, APCO has helped the EEA with assessing regulatory threats and developed appropriate and timely strategies, guaranteeing that the views of the express industry have been taken into account.