The Dutch post market for letters up to 50 grammes will not be opened up to competition from July 1 because there are still too many uncertainties about the effect of the free market, junior economic affairs minister Frank Heemskerk said after Friday’s cabinet meeting.

The cabinet had been widely expected to back the July 1 date. No new date has been set, Heemskerk said. The European postal market must be fully liberalised from 2011.
Ministers are particularly concerned about how competition will affect the pay and working conditions of delivery workers. Nor is there a level playing field in Europe, Heemskerk said.
TNT, which includes the former state monopoly PTT postal service, is facing competition from newcomers such as Sandd and Selekt Mail which largely pay delivery workers as freelancers.