The European Commission has greenlit a new support package that will see France’s national postal provider, La Poste, receive up to €531 million between 2023 and 2025 to help maintain its vast network of post offices and delivery services, even in remote or less profitable areas.
This funding is part of La Poste’s public service obligation: a legal commitment to provide frequent and affordable postal services to everyone in France, regardless of where they live. The latest approval follows a similar decision made in 2018, which covered the period from 2018 to 2022. It also complements a much larger support package (€2.6 billion) approved in late 2023 for the broader universal postal service through 2025.
Keeping Mail Accessible for All
The Commission reviewed the plan under EU State aid rules, specifically the rules for Services of General Economic Interest (SGEI), which are essential services that governments require companies to provide, even when they’re not profitable. The Commission found that La Poste’s role in ensuring nationwide access to postal services qualifies as such a service and that the funding will only cover actual costs, preventing any overcompensation.
This type of support is crucial for maintaining postal services in rural or less densely populated areas, where private operators may withdraw due to low volume. For many residents, especially older populations or those with limited digital access, local postal services remain a vital link to government services, bill payments, and everyday communication.
Why It Matters
In an age of digital communication and declining mail volumes, public postal services face mounting financial pressure. Many European postal operators are reducing services or closing locations. France is taking a different path: investing in its postal infrastructure to ensure no one is left behind.
The decision also reflects a broader European conversation about the future of essential public services, particularly as infrastructure becomes increasingly digital, privatized, or centralized.