27.2.2008 Official Journal of the European Union L 52/3 DIRECTIVES DIRECTIVE 2008/6/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 20 February 2008 amending Directive 97/67/EC with regard to the full accomplishment of the internal market of Community postal services THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 47(2), Articles 55 and 95 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (3), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (%), Whereas: (1) The Council in its Resolution of 7 February 1994 on the development of Community Postal Services (*) identified as one of the main objectives of Community postal policy the reconciling of the gradual, controlled opening to competition of the postal market with a sustainable guarantee of the provision of the universal service. () O] C 168, 20.7.2007, p. 74. (®» OJ C 197, 24.8.2007, p. 37. Opinion delivered following non- compulsory consultation. (}) Opinion of the European Parliament of 11 July 2007 (not yet published in the Official Journal), Council Common Position of 8 November 2007 (O] C 307 E, 18.12.2007, p. 22) and Position of the European Parliament of 31 January 2008. () O] C 48, 16.2.1994, p. 3. (2 Directive 97/67[EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 1997 on common rules for the development of the internal market of Community postal services and the improvement of quality of service (°) established a regulatory framework for the postal sector at Community level, including measures to guarantee a universal service and the setting of maximum limits for the postal services which Member States may reserve to their universal service provider(s) with a view to the maintenance of the universal service, to be reduced in a gradual and progressive manner, and a timetable for decision-making on the further opening of the market to competition, for the purposes of creating an internal market in postal services. (3)  Article 16 of the Treaty highlights the place occupied by services of general economic interest in the shared values of the European Union as well as their role in promoting social and territorial cohesion. It states that care should be taken that such services operate on the basis of prin- ciples and conditions which enable them to fulfil their missions. (4)  The positive role played by services of general economic interest was emphasised by Special Eurobarometer 219 of October 2005 which indicated that postal services are the most appreciated services of general economic interest according to users throughout the EU, with 77 % of people questioned responding positively. (5)  Since they constitute an essential instrument for commu- nication and information exchange, postal services fulfil a vital role which contributes to the objectives of social, economic and territorial cohesion in the Union. Postal networks have important territorial and  social dimensions which make universal access to essential local services possible. 5 O] L 15, 21.1.1998, p. 14. Directive as last amended by Regulation p y Reg (EC) No 1882/2003 (O] L 284, 31.10.2003, p. 1).