Fact 1

Swiss Post’s universal service obligation  includes the country-wide delivery of addressed letters and parcels on at least five days a week, the country-wide delivery of subscription newspapers and magazines six days a week, payment transaction services, and the operation of a nationwide network of post offices and postal agencies. This means that post offices and postal agencies are on an equal regulatory footing.

Fact 2

The legislator has defined clear criteria as to how the population is to be provided with postal and payment transaction services. The accessibility defined by the Postal Services OrdinanceTarget not accessible  of 1 January 2019 stipulates that 90 percent of the population of a canton must be able to reach both postal and payment transaction services within 20 minutes. In cities and conurbations, Swiss Post must operate one access point per 15,000 inhabitants or employees.

Fact 3

The legal requirements laid down in the Postal Services ActTarget not accessible and in the Postal Services OrdinanceTarget not accessible are among the most stringent in the world. The competent supervisory authorities PostComTarget not accessible and OFCOMTarget not accessible check every year whether Swiss Post complies with these requirements. They are consistently fulfilled or even exceeded by Swiss Post.

Fact 4

Swiss Post does not receive any payment from the Confederation for the services rendered as part of the universal postal obligation. The Confederation grants Swiss Post a monopoly only on letters weighing less than 50 grams. Today, the proceeds from the residual monopoly make an important contribution to financing the universal service. However, the value of the monopoly is decreasing continuously due to declining letter volumes.

Fact 5

Swiss Post finances the universal service from its own resources. In some cases, unprofitable services within the universal service are co-financed through profitable services – for example, the delivery of letters in rural areas through the delivery of letters between cities. This solidarity is a part of Swiss public service and of Swiss Post’s basic understanding of itself.

Fact 6

Swiss Post is committed to its universal service obligation and wants to ensure a high-quality universal service which meets the requirements of the whole of Switzerland, now and in the future.

Fact 7

To achieve that goal, it is investing in nationwide infrastructure: For example, around 1.2 billion francs will be invested in upgrading the delivery and sorting infrastructure for parcels by 2030.

Fact 8

The universal service obligation must take account of current social developments. Swiss Post wants to work with the owner, the business community, the public and politicians to ensure that the public postal service retains its relevance for the whole of Switzerland: for cities and rural communities, old and young people, private individuals and companies, analogue and digital services.

As of 1 January 2023