PostEurop head: Azerbaijan may become regional hub for postal services, e-commerce – INTERVIEW

The postal industry is undergoing a deep transformation driven by the growth of e-commerce, changing consumer habits, and the development of digital technologies, Chairperson of PostEurop (Association of European Public Postal Operators) Elena Fernández-Rodríguez said in an interview with Report on the sidelines of the PostEurop 2026 General Assembly and Business Forum in Baku, detailing key directions of industry transformation, prospects for international cooperation, and new opportunities for postal operators.

Report presents the interview:

- How do you assess holding the PostEurop General Assembly and Business Forum in Baku? What significance does this meeting have for the European postal community?

- First of all, cooperation is of key importance. The external environment and the market are changing very quickly, which is why the postal industry is also transforming. We are changing our business model, moving from traditional work with letters to parcels, and we must be competitive in e-commerce to remain relevant.

Our task is to act strategically and at the same time maintain the importance of the universal postal service network as a global infrastructure that connects people around the world.

- How does PostEurop assess the transformation of Azerbaijan's national postal operator and its role in developing postal and logistics connections between Europe and Asia?

- Today Azerbaijan holds a strategically important position. The country actively participates in the work of various PostEurop groups, and I consider it an important connecting link between Europe and Asia.

Azerpost is also undergoing a transformation process and diversifying its activities, developing not only postal and logistics directions, but also telecommunications and other services. Therefore, I consider the role of Azerbaijan and its national operator to be strategically important.

- Given Azerbaijan's geographical location, to what extent, in your opinion, can the country become a key logistics hub for cross-border e-commerce in the Caucasus and Central Asia?

- I believe that today Azerbaijan is in a very advantageous geographical and strategic position. The country has every opportunity to become a regional hub for postal services, logistics, and e-commerce.

These markets are actively growing. The European market is more mature, while other regional markets continue to develop rapidly. Therefore, Azerbaijan is acting proactively, forming a strategic approach to new opportunities and growing demand.

- What tools and mechanisms of PostEurop help national operators, including Azerpost, adapt to the growth of international parcel flows and the development of e-commerce?

- Within PostEurop, there are two committees that support countries and operators such as Azerbaijan and Azerpost.

The first is the Best Practice Sharing Committee. It deals with operational issues, improving the quality of services, and sharing practical solutions between postal operators.

In addition, there is the Wider Europe committee, which helps operators obtain business intelligence and position themselves more effectively in e-commerce. In particular, yesterday we held a meeting with representatives of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) dedicated to these issues.