Legal framework

In Austria, the European legal framework for postal services was implemented in the Postal Services Act (PostG) of 1997, which went into effect on January 1, 1998 and has been amended seven times to date. The Postal Services Act defines the basis for fulfillment of the service mandate in the provision of universal service as well as the general terms of competition in the field of postal services.

The Postal Market Act (PMG) expanded the duties of the regulatory authorities, which have been in operation since January 1, 2008.

The duties of the Post-Control-Kommission essentially include taking measures in connection with the closure of post offices, handling complaints related to universal services, approving terms of service and fees for reserved postal services, reviewing fees not subject to regulatory approval requirements in the field of universal services, and taking supervisory measures. In addition to providing operational support for the Post-Control-Kommission, RTR is responsible for publishing the list of notified postal services and acts as a conciliation body in the case of disputes.

The pages in this section also provide information on EU legislation, on other laws and ordinances relevant to the communications sector, and on the rulings of Austria's high courts in this area.