16.Section 4 sets out the meanings of a universal postal service and of a universal service provider. These definitions comply with those required under the EU Postal Services Directive (97/67/EC). A universal service provider is described for the purposes of this Act as any person who the Secretary of State has notified to the European Commission as being a provider of universal postal services in the UK and on whom the Secretary of State has served a notice informing him of that fact. It also provides that in the event that the Directive lapses (and with it the requirement to notify the Commission of universal service providers) that references in the Act to a universal service provider are to be construed as references to any person who is treated by the Secretary of State as a universal service provider for the purposes of the Act and on whom the Secretary of State has served a notice informing him of that fact.
Commentary on Sections Part I Introductory Section 4: Provision of a universal postal service: meaning