PostNL has been refused temporary financial support from the Dutch government to maintain postal services.
The company states that it needs a total of €68 million for this year and next year, but the government has did not accept the request.
PostNL claims that postal deliveries are running at a loss because fewer people in the Netherlands are sending letters. It is seeking support to sustain current postal operations until the government reforms the Postal Act, potentially extending the legal delivery period to several days.
The company previously hinted that financial aid would likely be necessary and has now officially submitted a request.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has promptly rejected this request, stating that support is "not an option."
The Ministry explained that it is currently developing measures for the future postal market based on ongoing research, including studies by the regulator ACM. It has been agreed, following the request of a majority in the House of Representatives, that no irreversible steps will be taken until these investigations are complete.
