By derogation to Article 2, the following Member States may postpone the implementation of this Directive until 31 December 2012, in order to continue to reserve services to universal service provider(s):

• Czech Republic,

• Greece,

• Cyprus,

• Latvia,

• Lithuania,

• Luxembourg,

• Hungary,

• Malta,

• Poland,

• Romania,

• Slovakia.

These Member States may decide to implement this Directive at an earlier stage.

The relevant Member States shall notify the Commission confirming their intention to make use of the implementation delay set out in paragraph 1 by 27 August 2008.

Member States that abolish their reserved areas by 31 December 2012 may, between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2012, refuse to grant the authorisation provided for in Article 9(2) of Directive 97/67/EC for services within the abolished reserved area in question to postal operators providing services within the scope of the universal service, as well as companies controlled by them, which are granted a reserved area in another Member State.