RNS Number:5192U
TPG N.V.
22 January 2004


Press release
                         ------------
                
Corporate Head Office
                                         Date
                                         22 January 2004

TPG CONFIDENT WITH CLEAR ROUTE TOWARDS LIBERALISATION IN MINISTER OF ECONOMIC
AFFAIRS POSTAL VISION

Price freeze extension to 2007 disappointing

Minister Brinkhorst of Economic Affairs has today released his vision on the
postal market in the Netherlands.

The key elements of the postal vision are:

  * Full liberalisation of the postal market in 2007 (conditional upon full
    market liberalisation in the UK and Germany)

  * Price freeze until 1 January 2007 on the mandatory postal services
    previously subject to price control

  * From 2007, a Universal Service will be subject to a price cap system based
    on inflation or consumer price index

  * Universal Service Obligation after liberalisation restricted to single
    items at fixed rates; obligation to deliver bulk mail letters up to 50 grams
    for a transitional period

  * Competitors and customers to be treated equally in terms of rates and
    conditions

TPG recognises that the postal vision provides clarity on the most important
aspects of postal regulation and gives a long-term framework for the development
of the postal market in the Netherlands. In particular, TPG is pleased with the
policy regarding liberalisation as this properly addresses the pace of
liberalisation in Europe and specifically in the UK and Germany, where
liberalisation is also scheduled to take place in 2007. However, the imposition
of a price freeze until 2007 is disappointing.

CEO Peter Bakker: "A price freeze for the next three years is unnecessary. There
is no reason whatsoever to revise the price control system which worked well in
the past and led to extremely low postal rates for the consumer as a result of
consistent sound entrepreneurship, innovation and efficiency. Over a period of
twelve years, corrected for inflation, the price of a postage stamp has
decreased by 30%."

On the other main aspects of the postal vision TPG is broadly in agreement. TPG
agrees that a basic service level and quality should be guaranteed for customers
in a liberalised market via a Universal Service Obligation. Also TPG understands
that competitors and customers should be treated alike when it comes to rates
and conditions.


TPG will provide the Ministry with its detailed comments and suggestions
regarding the postal vision document. It is expected that the Government's
postal vision will be sent to Parliament by the end of February 2004.



Notes to the editor:

TPG N.V., with its two brands TNT and Royal TPG Post, is a global provider of
mail, express and logistics services. The group employs over 161,000 people in
62 countries and serves over 200 countries. For 2002 the company reported sales
of Euro 11.7 billion, an increase of 5% over the previous year. In the first half
of 2003 sales have grown by 1%. TPG N.V. is publicly listed on the stock
exchanges of Amsterdam, New York, London and Frankfurt.

For further information, please contact (not for publication):

Tanno Massar, Director TPG Media Relations

Tel: + 31 20 500 6171

Mobile: +31 6 205 432 41

E-mail: Tanno.Massar@tpg.com




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