The European People’s Party (EPP), meeting in its Political Assembly,

Having regard to the EPP Resolution No. 3 on Rural Mobility and Vitality, adopted at the EPP Congress in Bucharest on 6–7 March 2024, which reaffirmed the EPP’s commitment to placing rural areas, farmers, and rural communities at the centre of its political agenda;

Having regard to the urgent need to combat depopulation, enhance connectivity, and invest in infrastructure to ensure that rural territories remain vital, liveable, and economically competitive;

Having regard to the fact that mobility and digital infrastructure improvements are insufficient when essential public services—such as postal services, social services, banking, and other key public services—are being reduced or withdrawn from rural and peripheral regions;

Having regard to the European Commission’s ongoing preparation of a new EU Delivery Act, intended to replace the Postal Services Directive, and its consideration of options that could allow Member States greater flexibility to reduce the scope or frequency of the Universal Service Obligation (USO);

Having regard to the challenge posed by declining letter volumes and financial pressures to maintaining universal postal services, while recognizing that the erosion of these essential services would disproportionately disadvantage citizens in rural, remote, and sparsely populated areas;

Having regard to the fact that postal, social, and other general-interest services are not merely economic activities but are essential lifelines that guarantee social and territorial cohesion, particularly for vulnerable groups such as elderly people, citizens without reliable digital access, and small businesses;

Having regard to the reality that diminishing access to essential services increases feelings of abandonment, accelerates depopulation, and fundamentally weakens the attractiveness of rural areas for families, young people, and businesses, thereby undermining the stability of our European model;

Whereas ensuring true territorial cohesion is a core European responsibility and a precondition for maintaining public trust in the European project, guaranteeing that every citizen has equal opportunities regardless of geography.

Whereas services of general economic interest must be actively protected, sustainably financed, and strengthened to guarantee the equal treatment of all citizens.

Whereas the EPP emphasizes the importance of adequate regulation in the postal and delivery sector to prevent challenges such as precarious employment, job losses, social dumping, and unfair competition, ensuring that social standards are respected.

Calls for Action

1. Calls on the European Commission, the Council, and the European Parliament to ensure that the EU Delivery Act fundamentally preserves and strengthens the Universal Service Obligation (USO) by:

• Defining ambitious, clear, and binding minimum standards for both letters and parcels, guaranteeing that no European citizen is left behind, regardless of where they live;

• Rejecting any regulatory option that would permit a downward divergence in service frequency or quality, particularly in rural and remote areas, where delivery services are essential to social inclusion and economic vitality;

• Establishing sustainable and fair financing mechanisms in which all operators benefiting from the market contribute proportionately, actively preventing the “cherry-picking” of profitable routes and guaranteeing service provision in sparsely populated regions;

2. Reiterates the EPP’s commitment to rural vitality by recognizing essential public services—including postal and social services—as indispensable pillars of social and territorial cohesion that must be safeguarded;

3. Insists that efforts to modernise mobility and digital infrastructure in rural areas must be accompanied by firm guarantees that fundamental services remain physically accessible and reliably provided;

4. Promotes a robust European model that supports longevity and economic dynamism in rural communities, enabling both young families and elderly citizens to live, work, and thrive in all regions of the Union;

5. Expresses strong support for the concerns raised by social partners, including CESI, regarding the future of the delivery sector and emphasizes the need for broad, meaningful stakeholder consultations in shaping the EU Delivery Act.

Conclusion

The vitality, resilience, and future of Europe’s rural areas depend not only on technological connectivity but, critically, on the continued presence of reliable, high-quality public services.

The EPP reiterates its determination to ensure that the EU Delivery Act becomes an opportunity to strengthen fairness, social cohesion, and equal opportunities across all territories of the Union, reinforcing public trust in the European project.