Editing Bpost

{{Short description|Belgian company responsible for the delivery of national and international mail}}
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{{Update|date=December 2022}}
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{{Infobox company
| name = Bpost
| traded_as = {{EuronextBrussels|BPOST|BE0974268972|XBRU}}
| ISIN = {{ISIN|sl=n|pl=y|BE0974268972}}
| logo = Bpost logo.svg
| location_city = [[Brussels]]
| location_country = [[Belgium]]
| key_people = {{Ill|Dirk Tirez|nl}} ([[CEO ad interim]]),<br />{{Ill|François Cornelis|nl}} (chair),<br />[[Petra De Sutter]] (minister)
| products = [[Mail]], [[Courier]], [[Logistics]], [[Insurance]]|
| homepage = {{URL|www.bpost.be}}
| owner = [[Belgium|Belgian State]] (50.01%)
| subsid = [[Radial, Inc.]]
}}

'''Bpost''' (stylised ''bpost''), also known as the '''Belgian Post Group''', is the [[Belgium|Belgian]] company responsible for the delivery of [[mail]] in Belgium. The Belgian Post Group is one of the largest [[civilian]] employers in Belgium. It provides a range of postal, [[courier]], [[direct marketing]], [[banking]], [[insurance]], and electronic services in a highly competitive [[European market]]. The headquarters are located in [[Brussels]] at the Muntcenter (Bisschopsstraat).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Times |first=The Brussels |title=Bpost unions issue strike notice for Thursday |url=https://www.brusselstimes.com/908702/bpost-unions-issue-strike-warning |access-date=2024-03-31 |website=www.brusselstimes.com |language=en}}</ref>

Before 2010, it was known as '''De Post''' in [[Dutch language|Dutch]] and '''La Poste''' in [[French language|French]], meaning "the Post" in each case in [[English language|English]].

== Ownership ==
[[File:Bestelauto de post.JPG|thumb|left|Belgium Post delivery vehicles with the older (2000–2010) [[post horn]] logo]]
By Royal Decree of 17 March 2000, The Post cast off its status of [[autonomous]] public enterprise to adopt the status of a [[public company|public]] [[limited liability]] company. Its public service missions are all described that it concluded with the Belgian State.

In January 2006, [[Post Danmark]] and [[CVC Capital Partners]] signed an agreement with the Belgian Government on the acquisition of 50% minus one share in the Belgian Post for €300 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/postnl-ma-bpost/update-1-belgiums-bpost-fails-to-agree-takeover-of-dutch-postnl-idUSL8N18Q0OU |title=Belgium's Bpost fails to agree takeover of Dutch PostNL |date=29 May 2016 |first1=Francesco |last1=Guarascio |first2=Toby |last2=Sterling |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.privateequityinternational.com/cvc-plans-bpost-ipo/ |title=CVC plans bpost IPO |date=28 March 2013 |website=[[Private Equity International]] |last=Favas |first=Matthieu}}</ref> Post Danmark had been selected by the Belgian Government a partner because it would assist bpost in modernizing the company. The Belgian Government, bpost, Post Danmark and CVC have prepared a joint plan for developing the Belgian Post.

==Acquisitions==

Certipost is a Belgian electronic communications subsidiary of bpost based in [[Aalst, Belgium|Aalst]] founded in 2002. They produce solutions to issues with [[electronic document]] exchange and [[archiving]] including [[digital certificate]] and [[electronic identity card]]s.

In October 2017, bpost acquired American [[e-commerce]] company [[Radial, Inc.]] for US$820 million.<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Jennifer|website=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|title=Bpost to Buy Radial for $820 Million |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/bpost-to-buy-radial-for-820-million-1507559095|date=9 October 2017}}</ref>

==Controversies==

[[File:Bpost Office.jpg|thumb|right|A Bpost office near [[Manneken Pis]] in [[Brussels]]]]

Bpost is accused of having entered into spurious contracts with the Belgian Government, overstating costs for delivering newspapers to receive elevated subsidies and a host of other allegedly fraudulent operations. In April 2023 Bpost was forced to admit it had broken European competition rules and had overcharged by tens of millions of Euros amid reports of secret deals between the company and the Belgian state. In total, Bpost is said to have received €4 billion in public spending between 2013 and 2023. According to journalists, most of these subsidies and fees are questionable and are the result of close ties between the Belgian state and the company.<ref>{{cite web|last=Deconinck|first=Carl|website=[[Brussels Signal]]|title=Belgium accused of massive state aid fraud by investigative journalists |url=https://brusselssignal.eu/2023/07/belgium-accused-of-massive-state-aid-fraud-by-investigative-journalists/|date=20 July 2023}}</ref>

Bpost use monopoly power to allegedly make questionable price-fixing agreements with publishers DPG media and Mediahuis, as was revealed by an internal audit in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|last=Grommen|first=Stefan|website=[[VRT (broadcaster)|VRT]]|title=Ex-toplui Bpost sjoemelden om contract voor krantenbedeling te behouden, bevestigt audit: "Willen tot op het bot gaan" |url=https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2023/04/14/auditrapport-bevestigt-vroegere-bpost-directeurs-sjoemelden-om/|date=14 April 2023}}</ref>

In August 2023, Kathleen Van Beveren, chief executive of E-logistics Eurasia at Bpost and a member of its executive committee, stepped down from her role amid accusations of fraud and foul play inside the company.<ref>{{cite web|last=Deconinck|first=Carl|website=[[Brussels Signal]]|title=Chief executive at Belgium's scandal-ridden Bpost quits |url=https://brusselssignal.eu/2023/08/chief-executive-at-belgiums-scandal-ridden-bpost-quits/|date=8 August 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{commons category-inline}}
* {{Official website|https://www.bpost.be}}

{{Postal administrations of Europe}}

{{authority control|state=expanded}}

[[Category:Communications in Belgium]]
[[Category:Companies based in Brussels]]
[[Category:Companies listed on Euronext Brussels]]
[[Category:Private equity portfolio companies]]
[[Category:CVC Capital Partners companies]]
[[Category:Postal organizations|Belg]]
[[Category:Postal system of Belgium]]
[[Category:Government-owned companies of Belgium]]

{{Belgium-company-stub}}