Developments in the sector
In recent decades, postal services have undergone radical changes from a regulatory, operational and technological perspective throughout the world.
Technological changes have confronted operators with new forms of competition from other communication services (e.g. e-mails), but also presented new opportunities, e.g. the use of technology in the just-in-time shipment of goods by express delivery companies. This is a rapidly growing area which is playing a key role in supply chain management and logistics. Market-oriented reforms have been undertaken in most countries: public postal operators have been corporatized and/or privatized and the scope of postal monopolies reduced. Furthermore, new regulatory issues have arisen as a result of the liberalization of postal markets.
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“While I am disappointed that we will miss the 2020 deadline, I am not discouraged,” the chair said after reporting to members at the 14 December informal meeting of the Trade Negotiations Committee at the level of heads of delegations. “The momentum is there and we must not waste it. At this critical juncture, we need members to close the gaps and deliver a meaningful agreement soon.”
Based on the mandate from the WTO s 11th Ministerial Conference and the UN Sustainable Development Goal Target 14.6, negotiators have been given the task of securing an agreement on disciplines to eliminate subsidies for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and to prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, with special and differential treatment being an integral part of the negotiations.