Those sending a parcel to France or parcel to Spain have been told that the deadline for European countries to comply with a European Commission (EC) directive, which would require them to open up their postal markets to competition, will soon arrive.

The Consumer Post Council said the Third Postal Directive deadline is now just six months away and so far only five member states - Germany, the UK, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden - have complied.

Philippe Bodson, president of the Free and Fair Post Initiative, commented:"This year is therefore crucial in order to ensure the development of a free and fair postal market."

In April, policymakers discussed the state of Europe's postal markets in Valencia, deciding that 90 per cent of the continent should be open to competition by the start of 2011.

However, the Consumer Postal Council has warned that those sending a parcel to France, for example, may have to wait longer to see competition introduced to the market as La Poste has a 15-year commitment as the country's service provider.

The Consumer Postal Council is an association of services dedicated to eliminating government control over postal services and seeking fair prices for mail users.