July 6, 2026, 2:45 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Whether letters from Deutsche Post are actually delivered on time cannot currently be independently verified. A lost legal battle forces the Federal Network Agency to initiate a new tender process–with consequences lasting until at least 2028.
Why the Federal Network Agency Cannot Monitor
The Federal Network Agency will likely not be able to independently verify Deutsche Post’s compliance with statutory mail delivery times until 2028. The trigger is a ruling by the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf in a tender process. A market research company had sued over its exclusion and ultimately won.
Until now, the agency contracted an external company to send approximately 60,000 test letters annually and evaluate their delivery. These measurements form the basis for determining whether Deutsche Post meets legal requirements. Following the court ruling, the Federal Network Agency must now initiate a new Europe-wide tender process. Since the measurements must cover a full calendar year, a restart is realistically possible no earlier than 2028.
Also of interest: Name “Deutsche Post” to disappear completely
5G Frequencies Must Be Reauctioned: Impact on Users
The Biggest Legal Battles in Tech History
What the Ruling Means
This means the Federal Network Agency will likely not fulfill its statutory monitoring mandate from 2025 to 2027. It is supposed to independently verify delivery quality and impose fines for significant violations of legal requirements.
According to Deutsche Post, there is currently no indication of poorer delivery times. The company states that in 2025, about 97.4 percent of all letters were delivered within three business days. The legal requirement is at least 95 percent. Within four business days, 99 percent of the mailings arrived, thus also meeting the legal requirement. However, the Federal Network Agency requires independent data, as company data alone is insufficient.
Court Views Conflict of Interest Differently
The Federal Network Agency had excluded the suing market research company because it also works for Deutsche Post, raising doubts about its independence. However, the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf deemed this exclusion disproportionate. The judges believed that potential conflicts of interest could have been prevented through organizational measures and information barriers.
The Federal Network Agency announced it would redesign the tender process according to the court’s guidelines. Political pressure for a quick solution is also mounting. SPD Bundestag member Sebastian Roloff calls for a swift tender to ensure that compliance with statutory mail delivery times can be independently verified as soon as possible.