EU: CFI annuls remail decision

The Court of First Instance has upheld actions seeking the annulment of EC decisions concerning an agreement on fixing postal rates and the practice of certain public postal services of intercepting “remailed” post (Case T – 133/95, IECC v Commission). The Commission decided that public postal operators, entrusted with the provision of universal service, are entitled to protect their monopoly against circumvention, especially where there is an imbalance between the costs borne and the money recoverable under the system of terminal dues. However, the Court ruled that this was not sufficient to justify the need for the interception of remailed post and repealed that part of the Commission’s decision.