Standardisation
Efficient and functioning postal services are vital for the economy and society. Postal service innovation, the implementation of new technologies and changing consumer needs make the postal market subject to constant change, which in turn gives standardisation at national, European and international level an important role: standardisation facilitates the interoperability of postal services by harmonising technical processes.
The internet and digital transformation have in recent years developed a dynamic that also results in an increased need for norms and standardised processes in the postal sector. Thus for some time already the physical component of the postal service has no longer been the sole subject of standardisation in the postal sector. The steady growth in online sales and the increasing spread of digital technology and automation now directly influence many postal services (eg electronic tracking and tracing, data formats and automated mail processing interfaces), making these topics an important part of today's standardisation activities in the postal sector.
Committee work
The Bundesnetzagentur works closely with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) to monitor the standardisation activities in the postal sector at national, European and international level.
The committee work takes place at the interface between regulation and standardisation. In an environment of highly diverse interest groups made up of operators, industry and consumers, the Bundesnetzagentur advocates for open standards and interoperability. The Bundesnetzagentur places particular focus on promoting transparency in the development of norms. It is possible to get all market participants (including consumer interest representatives and SMEs) involved at an early stage by addressing them in a targeted manner and providing them with information. This way all interested parties can actively apply their know-how to the standardisation activities. Transparency and comprehensive integration of all stakeholders help to make the adopted standards useful as end products for a number of service providers.
The Bundesnetzagentur works primarily in the following standardising bodies.
German Institute for Standardization (DIN)
Standards Committee on Information Technology and Applications (NIA) / Committee: "Postal services" with three working groups:
- WG 1 Customers, products and services
- WG 2 New digital postal services
- WG 3 Physical processing chain and associated data
Standards Committee Hardware, Tinware and Metal Products (NAEBM):
- WG 5 Equipment of the end receivers
The working groups at DIN nationally mirror the activities of the CEN/TC 331.
European Committee for Standardization (CEN)
Technical Committee TC 331 (Postal services) with five working groups:
- WG 1 - Customers, products and services
- WG 2 - New digital postal services
- WG 3 - Physical processing chain and associated data
- WG 5 - Equipment of the end receivers
- WG 8 - Environemental aspects in postal services
Universal Postal Union (UPU)
- Standards Board (SB)
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
Technical Committee TC 315 (Cold chain logistics) with five working groups:
- WG 2 - Contactless delivery
- WG 3 - B2B-services - storage and transport
- WG 4 - Terminologies
- WG 5 - Validation
- WG 6 - Traceability