Home collection without any such features is not a special service. Electronic transmission to and/or electronic receipt by the operator for sorting, printing and/or preparation of mail shall not be regarded as an additional service feature within the meaning of the first subparagraph. Express mail is a special service, which, in addition to faster and more reliable collection, transportation and delivery, is characterised by the provision of some or all of the following additional service features: collection from the sender's address, delivery to the addressee in person or to his authorised representative, guarantee of delivery by a gi ...[+++]ven date, possibility of a change of destination and addressee in transit, confirmation to the sender of delivery, tracking and tracing, personalised treatment for customers and the offer of a range of services according to requirements”.

In the Community, items of ordinary correspondence weighing between 50 grams and 350 grams represent on average approximately 16% of the total postal revenues of the universal service providers, whilst items of outward cross-border correspondence and express services below the price limit represent a further 4% or so, on average, of the total postal revenues of the universal service providers.

(17) Whereas items of correspondence weighing 350 grammes and over represent less than 2 % of letter volume and less than 3 % of the receipts of the public operators; whereas the criteria of price (five times the basic tariff) will better permit the distinction between the reserved service and the express service, which is liberalised;

All alterations to the transmission data require the express consent of the sender (which would include any recipient sending a reply to an electronic message), as well as the ability to withdraw that consent at will (under the specifications laid out in clause 11(4)).