The European Commission's controversial plan to open the postal market in Europe to further competition will be debated by MEPs in Strasbourg on Wednesday morning, 13 December. The Commission's proposal that all letters weighing more than 50 grams should be open to competition from 2003 has been rejected by Parliament's Regional Policy and Transport Committee which wants letters up to 150 grams reserved for the postal monopolies. The Committee is also against setting a deadline for a further review of postal services. The Commission had proposed a review in 2004, with a view to opening the market further from 2007. Details of the Commission's proposal from Rapid.
In another change to the agenda, the Commission's latest proposals for reforming the import rules for bananas will also be debated on Wednesday, 13 December.