Critical Path Provides French Postal Service With Internet Messaging Infrastructure

Business Wire, March 30, 2001

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 30, 2001

La Poste Works With Critical Path to Extend Traditional Mail

Service and Provide Email to the General Public

Critical Path Inc. (Nasdaq:CPTH), the leading provider of Internet messaging infrastructure, today announced that it is providing La Poste, France's national postal service, with the messaging technology for a new email service. Following a contract signed in the fourth quarter of last year, La Poste is leveraging the security, scalability and reliability of Critical Path's InScribe(TM) Messaging Server (IMS) to extend the benefits of the physical mailbox and provide free email addresses for the general French population.

La Poste's initiative will some day make it possible for all French citizens to have a definitive and free email address. Today, more than 250,000 French citizens have already created their own address @laposte.net either on the Web site of La Poste (www.laposte.fr) or on the Web portal (www.illiclic.com) dedicated to the general public.

The ability of Critical Path's Internet messaging infrastructure to scale to support millions of users with the high performance, reliability and the security necessary for mission critical information exchange, is a key reason other key European postal services such as: Royal Mail ViaCode, Sweden Post, Finland Post, Deutsche Post, Postecom Italian, Danish Post, Dutch Post, Hungarian Post, Australian Post, and Ireland AnPost, have based their Internet messaging on Critical Path's products.

"Through our relationship with La Poste, Critical Path is continuing to demonstrate its ability to deliver an Internet messaging infrastructure that serves not just companies, but entire countries," said Diana Whitehead, president of Critical Path. "La Poste is doing more than simply delivering mail, it is providing a valuable Internet messaging service that ensures French citizens will have the opportunity to effectively communicate in the 21st Century."

As Internet messaging becomes ubiquitous and sending an email or retrieving a document via a secure online courier is as common as sending a letter or package through a postal carrier, Critical Path is addressing the needs of postal services worldwide. By providing a scalable Internet messaging infrastructure that features the highest levels of performance, scalability and security, Critical Path is helping postal services reduce costs by enabling them to offer value added messaging services that their customers rely on and trust for mission critical information exchange.

About Critical Path, Inc.

Critical Path Inc. (Nasdaq:CPTH) ignites the power of information for eBusiness by providing the Internet messaging infrastructure upon which the new economy is built. The company is a single resource that powers the flow of mission-critical information through an integrated portfolio of secure messaging, directory, integration and collaboration solutions. Critical Path's technology strengthens all aspects of the eBusiness value chain by providing the messaging infrastructure that fuels customer's new and existing eBusiness initiatives. Critical Path is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices worldwide. More information on Critical Path can be found at www.cp.net.

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Company, including statements regarding the Company's future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those suggested. The risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ include market conditions, the ability to release new products in a timely manner, the success of the products, continued customer support, the company's ability to retain and expand strategic relationships, and the company's ability to retain and attract employees. These and other risks and uncertainties are described in more detail in the Company's Critical Path's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A filed March 29, 2000 and with subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Note to Editors: Critical Path, InScribe and the Critical Path logo are trademarks of Critical Path, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their holders.