Today, the Ministry of Finance announced that postal services will be more clearly integrated into Sweden's preparedness. The changed security situation in the world is placing higher demands on the robustness of society, and the government emphasizes that the physical transport of letters and packages fulfills a function that cannot be replaced by digital communication.
As part of the assignment, PTS (the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority), together with relevant actors within the total defence system, will map the needs of postal and parcel services in a heightened state of readiness and ultimately in war. The authority will also propose concrete measures to guarantee that necessary shipments reach their destination under very difficult conditions. The work will take into account experiences from the war in Ukraine and the role of the postal service there.
Strategic collaboration with the logistics sector
To strengthen resilience, PTS will also prepare for the establishment of a national postal cooperation group (NPSG). The purpose of the group is to improve cooperation between government agencies and the commercial actors in the postal and parcel market. This includes, among other things, joint crisis exercises and information campaigns to manage major disruptions.
Civil Minister Erik Slottner highlights the importance of the decision:
The deteriorating geopolitical situation requires strengthened preparedness. Through these assignments, we are strengthening Sweden's ability to maintain important postal services in a heightened state of readiness and in war, while laying the foundation for closer cooperation between authorities and actors in the postal sector.