Market Regulations and USO in the Revised Swiss Postal Act: Provisions and Authorities

This paper analyzes the market regulations and USO as defined in the Swiss Postal Act and their interaction with competition law. Specifically, the paper covers the following aspects of the regulatory framework for the postal sector in Switzerland: First, the scope of the USO, consisting of provisions on the range of products to be offered and their prices, on the density and accessibility of the postal outlet network as well as the coverage and frequency of delivery. Second, it analyzes the financing of the USO, consisting of provisions on the calculation of the net cost, a residual monopoly for letters up to 50 grams and a regulatory cost allocation mechanism to ensure consistency of price regulation and the financing of the USO. Third, it presents the relevant regulatory authorities, consisting of the allocation of competences and the interfaces between the regulators (PostCom, OFCOM, ComCo, Price Supervisor).