© BELGIUM
Bpost has reached an agreement with the Flemish newspaper publishers on newspaper distribution after June 30, 2024. Bpost is launching a commercial offer for the distribution of the magazines. Bpost reports this in a press release.
Bpost had to negotiate with the publishers after the government’s decision to stop the press concession for the distribution of newspapers and magazines. Its transition period ends at the end of June. bpost then developed a new offer, which it has been negotiating with the publishers ever since.
An agreement has now been reached with the Flemish publishers. “This concerns a volume equal to approximately 75 percent of the volumes currently distributed by bpost in Flanders,” it said in a press release. Bpost plans to gradually transfer newspaper volumes to its branch AMP from 2025. This will work with subcontractors, but “they will only work with permanent employees for the distribution of the newspapers”.
According to bpost, thanks to the agreement, it can “guarantee job security for employees with a permanent contract in Flanders” and “avoid a major social shock and realize a soft transition to a different distribution model from 2025”.
Discussions with the French-speaking newspaper publishers are still ongoing, “with the aim of securing maximum volumes and finding solutions to guarantee job security for employees under permanent contracts.” bpost has also developed a new commercial offering for the distribution of magazines.
“It has always been our objective to find the right balance between ensuring continuity and quality of service on the one hand and the price expectations of publishers on the other. This agreement offers a solution for publishers and employees in Flanders,” says Chris Peeters, CEO of bpostgroup.