Driving Europe’s Green, Digital, and Inclusive Future
On 7 November 2025, Brussels became the hub of transformation for Europe’s postal sector as PostEurop convened its annual Innovation Forum. This year’s theme was clear: how postal operators can accelerate Europe’s green and digital transitions while strengthening social cohesion.
The stakes could not be higher. With 160,000+ access points, 1.5 million employees, and a presence in every community, postal networks remain one of Europe’s most trusted infrastructures. Yet, as letter volumes decline and e-commerce reshapes delivery economics, the sector faces a dual challenge: reinventing its business model while supporting EU strategic priorities such as the EU Green Deal, Digital Europe, and Fit for 55.
Opening Remarks: A Call for Bold Innovation
In his opening address, Botond Szebeny, Secretary General of PostEurop, captured the urgency and opportunity of this moment:
“Postal operators across Europe are embracing innovation to become more digital, greener, more connected and more resilient. From AI-driven logistics to carbon-neutral delivery networks, we are witnessing a profound shift in how we serve citizens and businesses alike.”
Botond acknowledged the pressures of falling letter volumes and the complexity of transitioning to e-commerce-driven models, which require massive investment and operational agility. He stressed that innovation is not optional—it is the lifeline for maintaining universal service and competitiveness in a rapidly evolving market.
Carlos Bhatt, Chair of the PostEurop Innovation Forum, reinforced this message, highlighting the sector’s role as a strategic partner for EU institutions. Postal operators, he noted, are uniquely positioned to deliver on Europe’s ambitions for digital inclusion, green mobility, and territorial cohesion, thanks to their unrivaled reach and public trust.
Keynote: Financing Europe’s Competitiveness
The tone of collaboration was echoed by Tatiana López Garrido from the European Commission, who introduced the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF)—a game-changing initiative to bridge Europe’s innovation financing gap.
“The current offer of EU funds does not provide large-scale, seamless funding support on the entire investment journey,” López Garrido explained, underscoring the need for flexibility and integration across public and private sources.
The ECF brings €451 billion of investment power to strategic sectors, including clean transition, industrial decarbonization, digital leadership, and resilience. Its design ensures:
- Seamless investment journeys from research to scale-up and global manufacturing.
- A single rulebook to simplify access and accelerate deployment.
- Policy coherence between industrial and research priorities.
For postal operators, this fund represents a unique opportunity to scale innovation projects—from zero-emission fleets and AI-driven logistics to digital identity platforms—while reinforcing Europe’s competitiveness and resilience.
Event Highlights
Roundtable 1 – Smarter Postal Operations: AI & Automation
- PostNord: Christian Østergaard unveiled a Technology Blueprint for operational excellence, integrating Digital Twins, Smart Terminals, and edge decision-making to optimize truck utilization and reduce costs. PostNord is already looking ahead to Agentic AI and Physical AI for next-generation resilience.
- La Poste Groupe: Sébastien Bousseau shared a timeline of AI adoption since 2018, from address recognition and customs automation to MobilIA, a smartphone-based AI tool for real-time support. Recent innovations include digital stamp verification, press sorting automation, and road analysis AI, all contributing to faster processing and sustainability.
- CTT Portugal: Carlos Bhatt presented CTT’s digital leap, anchored by five pillars: Customer, Growth, Efficiency, People, and Sustainability. Highlights included Helena, a Generative AI chatbot that answered 402,000 queries, improved NPS from -10 to 30, and saved €10,000 monthly. Other breakthroughs include a predictive delivery model with 90% accuracy, AI-powered letter counting, and the Postman Digital Brain, which digitizes delivery expertise for last-mile efficiency.
Roundtable 2 – Greener, Leaner, Closer: Sustainable Mobility & Circular Logistics
- Austrian Post: Dr. Marco Lommatzsch revealed that 50% of the fleet is already electrified, with 6,000 BEVs and 4,200 charging points nationwide. The Post Loop initiative introduces reusable packaging for e-commerce, while parcel lockers and in-home delivery enhance convenience and reduce emissions.
- PostNL: Suzanne Debrichy outlined PostNL’s net-zero ambition by 2040, backed by science-based targets: -90% emissions for Scope 1 & 2 and -45% for Scope 3. With 4,000 EVs deployed and 100% renewable energy powering operations, PostNL is also investing in circular economy solutions like reusable packaging and advanced route optimization.
- Deutsche Post DHL Group: Martina Schana positioned DHL as the “Green Logistics of Choice”, highlighting Bio-CNG trucks, e-trucks for long-distance routes, and urban delivery electrification (every third zip code fully electric). DHL’s partnerships drive circular logistics, while SBTi targets aim for 42% Scope 1 & 2 reduction and 25% Scope 3 reduction by 2030.
Roundtable 3 – From Counters to Platforms: Digital Transformation & Customer Experience
- La Poste Groupe: Nathalie Quintin presented the Customer Experience Hub, a feedback-driven platform that uses AI to analyze verbatims and improve service quality. Results speak for themselves: NPS rose from 39 to 50, Google ratings climbed to 4.3, and 94% of sector directors use the Hub weekly.
- Omniva: CEO Martti Kuldma introduced Crowd Delivery, an asset-light model leveraging community couriers to handle demand fluctuations. Already, 50% of Tallinn’s parcel volume is served by crowd couriers, reducing costs and environmental impact while improving service in remote areas.
- Pošta Slovenije: Matej Raspet showcased a transformation built on platform thinking and AI innovation. The MojaPošta app, self-service zones, and e-store integration enhance convenience, while PIA, Slovenia’s first AI voice assistant, handles 65% of calls independently, cutting queue times by 70% and reducing agent workload by 25%. Sustainability remains central, with Slovenia’s largest EV fleet targeting 33% electrification by 2026.
Closing Keynote: Postal Agentic AI for Resilient Societies
Jose Anson of the Universal Postal Union closed the forum with a visionary concept: Postal Agentic AI. By transforming post offices into smart resilience hubs, the UPU aims to tackle global crises—from pandemics to climate disasters—through a Unified Data Platform and AI-driven micro and macro agents.
- Impact Goals: <1-hour emergency alerts, 2 billion vaccines delivered, 45% faster recovery, and 60% less damage in climate events.
- Social ROI: Every $1 invested returns $25 in social, health, and economic benefits.
“Collaboration through UPU ensures rapid deployment, cost savings, and global intelligence—so no one is left behind.”
A Future Built on Collaboration
The Postal Innovation Forum 2025 demonstrated that Europe’s postal sector is not just adapting—it’s leading. From AI-powered operations to green mobility and customer-centric platforms, postal operators are proving their role as strategic partners in building a digital, sustainable, and inclusive Europe.
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