Analysis of the Development of Postal Services in European Countries, with a Special Focus on Serbia and Slovakia

Abstract The aim of the work is to indicate the direction of development of postal services by means of various analyses. According to the trend of recent years, the number of letters in domestic and international traffic keeps decreasing, while the number of parcels keeps increasing. The Universal Postal Union and the postal organizations of individual countries must respond to this trend. Of course, the Covid-19 pandemic, the complex geopolitical situation in Eastern Europe and the current energy crisis have had a significant impact on postal services. The analysis includes the EU member states, Schengen countries and Balkan countries. Indicators like average area covered by a permanent office and average number of inhabitants served by a permanent are analyzed. The comparative analysis of postal services in Serbia and Slovakia includes the number of letter, parcel and express services, revenues from these services and data on the coverage of the postal network in these countries. With the help of the analysis performed in this paper, a good example can be found and a way for further development in the functioning of the postal market and the provision of postal services. For example: new parcel services must be introduced, delivery times must be shortened, and the sending and receiving of parcels must be facilitated.