Bpost Office Closures: Minister Pushes for Proximity-First Approach
Belgian Minister of Public Enterprises Vanessa Matz is revising the criteria for closing bpost post offices after the initial plan was rejected by the restricted Council of Ministers, prioritizing proximity of services and access for vulnerable citizens who do not master digital tools, as reported by RTBF.
The list of post offices slated for closure has not yet been made public, and the revised criteria remain under discussion with government partners as the dossier returns to the cabinet table.
Context: A Budget Squeeze and a Rejected Plan
The Belgian state and bpost are negotiating the eighth management contract, which must enter into force on January 1, 2027. As part of the Arizona coalition government’s broader effort to find 10 billion euros in savings by 2029, the annual public service allowance for bpost must be reduced by 50 million euros.
The original closure plan proposed maintaining one post office per commune — a criterion that proved deeply problematic in Flanders, where several municipalities have merged in recent years. Politicians from merged communes argued they would be unfairly penalized compared to their non-merged counterparts.
“I hear the argument in Flanders that says ‘are we going to be penalized because we merged communes?’,” Matz told RTBF’s Matin Première program on Thursday.
New Criteria: Proximity and Vulnerable Populations
Following the rejection of the initial plan, Matz took back the dossier and worked extensively over the summer, meeting all vice-Prime Ministers bilaterally in recent weeks.
“We worked on it a lot over the summer and I met last week and this week, early in the week, all the vice-Prime Ministers bilaterally,” she said.
The new criteria must take into account the government agreement, with particular emphasis on service proximity and respect for the most vulnerable people who do not master digital tools.
“The criteria that must take into account the government agreement, which are those of proximity and respect for the most vulnerable people, who do not master digital tools,” Matz explained, adding that these individuals “find within a multi-service post office, a listening ear, administrative help in this proximity.”
This commitment echoes Matz’s earlier pledge from April, when she stated that “one post office per commune, that’s my commitment”, and insisted she would never present a management contract with 250 fewer post offices.
Political Tensions and a Cooling Climate
The first closure plan sparked sharp reactions within the government. Matz has stated she was personally attacked in an unfair manner during the earlier controversy, and she raised concerns about the exclusively male composition of the restricted cabinet, suggesting the episode raised questions about women’s representation in that key decision-making body.
Since the summer break, however, Matz says the political climate has calmed significantly.
“Everyone had the opportunity to rest, reviewed the dossier with a fresh mind,” she said, describing her discussions with government partners as constructive: “I had an extremely constructive and attentive hearing from my colleagues.”
The Broader Transformation of bpost
The post office closure debate unfolds against a backdrop of rapid transformation at bpost. CEO Chris Peeters has warned that the decline in traditional mail has accelerated from 8-10 percent annually to 10-15 percent, and that mail could eventually represent only a tenth of current activity. He has called the transformation “very urgent” and confirmed that a reduction in post offices is on the agenda.
Meanwhile, bpost has been rapidly expanding its network of Bbox automated parcel lockers, reaching nearly 3,000 units. In late August, the company announced it would prioritize its own Bbox lockers over bookshops and parcel points when sufficient Bbox capacity is available, raising concerns among the approximately 1,400 independent parcel point operators.
Rural Concerns Remain
Rural municipalities, particularly in Wallonia, continue to voice strong concerns about potential closures. For many residents in rural areas, the post office provides essential services beyond mail — cash withdrawals, administrative assistance, and a physical point of contact. As local media has reported, mayors in municipalities like Viroinval have warned that removing a single line from the management contract could allow bpost to close small offices, and past closures have already reduced access in some areas.
What’s Next
The dossier must now return to the government table for further discussion. For users across Belgium, the uncertainty remains: which post offices will close, and when will the list be revealed?
Matz has not yet disclosed which offices will be affected. The new management contract between the Belgian state and bpost must enter into force on January 1, 2027, leaving limited time for the government to finalize its revised approach. As the minister works to balance fiscal constraints with service accessibility, the coming weeks will be critical in determining the future shape of Belgium’s postal network.