04-06-2026

Over 90 high-level representatives from 30 posts worldwide, including about 20 CEOs, met in Dubrovnik, Croatia for the IPC 2026 Annual Conference hosted by Hrvatska Posta.

Over 90 high-level representatives from over 30 posts worldwide, including 20 CEOs, met in Dubrovnik for the IPC 2026 Annual Conference on 28-29 May. Hosted by Hrvatska Posta, this year’s IPC Annual Conference was themed “The Changing Face of the Global E-Commerce Supply Chain”. 

Holger Winklbauer, IPC CEO, says: “The theme of this Annual Conference was very timely as the industry is faced with an increasingly competitive e-commerce delivery market and at the same time new customs and regulatory changes. New technological advancements enable posts to respond to these challenges and keep their leading position in the delivery market”. 


Cross-border e-commerce has undergone several major transformations in recent years, particularly with the emergence and rapid expansion of new e-commerce players who are increasingly involved in every stage of the supply chain. This evolution has been accompanied by the introduction of new customs and de minimis regulations across the globe.

During the conference, postal operators have been exploring future trends and identified the challenges and opportunities arising from changes in the cross-border e-commerce landscape. They also looked at the evolving needs of e-retailers and their consumers and how postal operators can respond to them. 

To set the scene, the conference began with three keynote speeches, including Professor Subi Rangan from INSEAD Business School, André Majeres from IATA, as well as Florian Neuhaus and Eszter Beretzky from McKinsey. 

Finally, a panel of postal CEOs shared their experiences with the e commerce supply chain and the evolving role of the postal sector. CEOs highlighted that they were hitting a moment of truth as traditional mail volumes are rapidly decreasing but at the same time posts remain relevant thanks to their proximity to businesses and communities. CEOs also highlighted the importance of global organisations such as IPC to help posts to quickly respond to disruptions.  

Tone Wille, Chair of IPC Board concluded “IPC, together with its members, enabled the continuity of postal traffic despite the introduction of new customs fees to the United States, through its PDDP solution. Since the removal of the De Minimis for imports to the US, more than 10 million transactions took place through the IPC solution. Posts are now preparing for addressing the entry into force of an EU flat fee on imports into the EU as of 1 July. These efforts show the importance for posts to cooperate at global level to address challenges”. 

The members of the IPC Board, meeting in Dubrovnik prior to the Annual Conference, unanimously elected Matteo Del Fante, Poste Italiane CEO, as their new Chair to take over from Tone Wille, as of November 2026.