“Norway‘s Competition Authority (Konkurransetilsynet, or ‘Esa’) has launched an investigation into potential illegal state aid for Posten, the Norwegian postal service. The authority’s primary concern is the allegedly competitive distortion caused by state support favoring Posten in the Norwegian parcel delivery market.
The inquiry stems from Posten’s mandatory service obligations, funded through the state budget, which have not been disclosed to Esa. The authority is now examining whether this funding constitutes state aid, and if so, whether it complies with the rules of the European Economic Area (EEA).
Esa emphasizes that it is currently conducting an investigation and has not yet drawn any conclusions. The authority’s press release stated, ‘Esa is particularly concerned that the support has a competition-distorting effect, giving Posten an advantage in the Norwegian package delivery market.’
The investigation follows recent scrutiny of state aid provided to postal services across Europe. Authorities are increasingly focusing on ensuring fairness and compliance with EEA rules in the postal sector.”
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