COBALT successfully represented Eesti Post (Omniva) before the European Commission, securing a first of its kind decision in Estonia, that exempts certain of the company’s activities from EU public procurement rules.
Eesti Post’s exemption covers domestic parcel delivery (standard and express), international standard parcel delivery, services related to maxi letters and very small parcels, and printing and packaging services provided by Eesti Post.
The Commission’s Decision confirms that these markets in Estonia are open to competition and access is unrestricted, and that the Estonian postal market has become a dynamic and competitive environment, with several active operators – including DPD, SmartPosti, Venipak and others – and low barriers to market entry. The Commission’s Decision allows Eesti Post to operate its competitive services outside the scope of the public procurement regime, enabling greater flexibility and efficiency in contracting and service development.
“This decision marks a pivotal moment for Omniva, reinforcing our ability to compete on equal terms with other market participants. It enables us to act with greater agility, optimize our procurement practices, and further enhance cost efficiency. These changes will strengthen Omniva’s long-term competitiveness and create lasting value for our shareholder – the Republic of Estonia. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to COBALT for their professionalism and outstanding support throughout this process,” said Martti Kuldma, CEO of Omniva.
This is the first of such exemptions in Estonia and highlights the potential for other regulated companies to benefit from similar exemptions under EU law – including in sectors such as energy, transport, water, ports, and airports. COBALT continues to advise clients on identifying and pursuing such opportunities across all the regulated industries.
AS Eesti Post is Omniva Group’s parent company and is 100% Estonian state-owned company. Omniva Group is an international logistics company that provides a range of high-quality services to meet logistics needs. Its business consists of parcel and postal services, digital services and international transit service.
COBALT advised Eesti Post throughout the entire process, including the preparation of the exemption application and representation before the European Commission, helping to achieve one of the most significant recent exemptions under the Utilities Directive in the postal sector. Our team consisted of Managing Associate Mart Blöndal and Associate Kristo Pullerits.
Photo: Omniva
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