The cabinet wants to shake up the postal system to allow delivery firms to change the way they deliver post – such as by drone or by leaving letters at a central collection point rather than via the letter box.

The suggestions are included alongside new draft legislation which has been put out for public consultation by the economic affairs ministry.

The rise of email means consumers are sending fewer letters and changes in the law are needed to make sure delivery companies can continue to meet their needs in the future, junior economic affairs minister Mona de Keijzer says.

However, some key aspects of the current legislation, such as five day a week delivery and collection would not change.

A spokesman for PostNL said that the company is continually innovating and improving its services. ‘Digitalisation is leading to falling postal volumes and we will look at the draft legislation in the coming weeks,’ a spokesman told broadcaster NOS.

In February, PostNL, the former Dutch state postal monopoly, said it is taking over its main competitor Sandd for €130m.

The government last year said it would allow postal delivery firms to merge to cope with declining volumes of mail. PostNL currently controls some 70% of the Dutch postal market and Sandd virtually all the rest – primarily business deliveries.