Deutsche Post World Net AG chiefexecutive officer, Klaus Zumwinkelsaid about 32,000 jobs could be lost asa result of the planned liberalisationof postal services in Germany. In aninterview with DPA German newsagency, he said competitors would beable to get hold of around 20 percent ofthe volume of letters being handled byDeutsche Post after Dec 31, 2007, whenthe company’s monopoly ends.

"This would then mean the end foraround 32,000 jobs in Deutsche Post,"he was quoted as saying. "One has to know this if one wants to liberalise (themarket)," he added.

Zumwinkel said the letters market,in which Deutsche Post still holds amarket share of around 92 percent,is no longer growing but has actuallyshrunk by around 3 percent due to thenew electronic forms of communication.He said the market shrinkagehad resulted in a loss of 5,000 jobs ayear but that the company manages tooffset these through ‘natural wastage’,such as non-replacement of those whoretire.