Universal Postal Union Emphasizes User Needs as Core to Postal Service Reform
The Universal Postal Union (UPU) held its biannual Conference on Postal Regulation on October 28, 2026, focusing on the theme 'Bridging demand and duty: rethinking user needs within the USO scope.' The conference aimed to guide regulatory decisions to ensure that postal universal service obligations (USOs) meet user needs while remaining financially sustainable. UPU Director General Masahiko Metoki highlighted that declining mail volumes, evolving markets, and changing user expectations are creating a growing disparity between the scope and financial viability of USOs in many countries. He stressed the importance of incorporating users' experiences and priorities into policy decisions regarding service standards, affordability, access, and delivery frequency. Mindaugas Cerpickis of Copenhagen Economics pointed out the paradox that postal economics rely on scale, which is currently diminishing, leading to rising network costs and falling letter volumes. He suggested that reform should not only involve cutba...
