Annex: Transposition Notes for the Postal Services Directive (2008/6/Ec) Article 12: Tariff principles and transparency of accounts Implementation
543.Section 31 provides that OFCOM must include in its universal service order the services and standards it considers should be part of the universal postal service in the United Kingdom. Section 32 (read with sections 33 and 34) describes the minimum such services, and includes a service of conveying postal packets at affordable prices in accordance with a uniform public tariff. Section 36(4) provides that a designated USP condition may make provision as to the tariffs to be used for determining prices in accordance with which the universal service is provided. Section 36(5) provides that OFCOM must seek to ensure that the prices are affordable, take account of the costs of providing the service and that the prices provide incentives to provide the services efficiently.
544.The requirement for transparency of accounts (Article 12 fourth and fifth indent) is implemented by section 39 of the Act. This confers on OFCOM the power to require a universal service provider to maintain separate accounts between different matters and comply with rules for determining costs and allocating costs, and may require the publication of such accounts and other related information as OFCOM consider appropriate and to submit to regular independent audit of its compliance.