Second Additional Protocol to the
General Regulations of the Universal Postal Union
Table of contents
Article
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I.
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(Art. 103 amended)
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Functions of Congress
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II.
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(Art. 104 amended)
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Rules of Procedure of Congresses
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III.
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(Art. 105 amended)
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Observers to the Union's bodies
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IV.
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(Art. 106 amended)
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Composition and functioning of the CA
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V.
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(Art. 107 amended)
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Functions of the CA
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VI.
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(Art. 108 amended)
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Organization of CA sessions
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VII.
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(Art. 109 amended)
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Observers
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VIII.
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(Art. 110 amended)
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Reimbursement of travel expenses
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IX.
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(Art. 112 amended)
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Composition and functioning of the POC
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X.
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(Art. 113 amended)
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Functions of the POC
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XI.
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(Art. 114 amended)
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Organization of POC sessions
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XII.
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(Art. 115 amended)
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Observers
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XIII.
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(Art. 116 amended)
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Reimbursement of travel expenses
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XIV
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(Art. 117bis added)
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Coordination Committee for the
Permanent Bodies of the Union
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XV.
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(Art. 123 amended)
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Representatives of the Consultative Committee at the
Council of Administration, the Postal Operations Council
and Congress
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XVI.
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(Art. 127 amended)
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Duties of the Director General
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XVII.
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(Art. 130 amended)
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Preparation and distribution of documents of the Union
bodies
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XVIII.
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(Art. 138 amended)
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Procedure for submitting proposals to Congress
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XIX.
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(Art. 144 amended)
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Entry into force of the Regulations and of the other
decisions adopted between Congresses
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XX.
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(Art. 146 amended)
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Regulation of member countries' contributions
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XXI.
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(Art. 150 amended)
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Contribution classes
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XXII.
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(Art. 152 amended)
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Organization of user-funded subsidiary bodies
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XXIII.
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Entry into force and duration of the Additional Protocol
to the General Regulations of the Universal Postal
Union
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Second Additional
Protocol to the General Regulations of the Universal Postal
Union
The plenipotentiaries of the governments of the member
countries of the Universal Postal Union, having met in
Extraordinary Congress at Addis Ababa, in view of article 22.2 of
the Constitution concluded at Vienna on 10 July 1964, have, by
common consent and subject to article 25.4 of the Constitution,
adopted the following amendments to the General Regulations.
Article I
(Art. 103 amended)
Functions of Congress
1 On the basis of proposals by member countries, the Council
of Administration and the Postal Operations Council, Congress
shall:
1.1 determine the general principles for achieving the object
and purpose of the Union set out in the Preamble and article 1 of
the Constitution;
1.2 consider and adopt, where appropriate, proposals for
amendments to the Constitution, General Regulations, Convention
and Agreements submitted by member countries and the Councils, in
accordance with article 29 of the Constitution and article 138 of
the General Regulations;
1.3 set the date for the entry into force of the Acts;
1.4 adopt its Rules of Procedure and the amendments to those
Rules;
1.5 consider the comprehensive reports on the work of the
Council of Administration, the Postal Operations Council and the
Consultative Committee, covering the period from the previous
Congress, presented by these respective bodies in accordance with
articles 111, 117 and 125 of the General Regulations;
1.6 adopt the Union's strategy;
1.6bis approve the draft quadrennial UPU business plan;
1.7 fix the maximum amount of the Union's expenditure, in
accordance with article 21 of the Constitution;
1.8 elect the member countries to sit on the Council of
Administration and the Postal Operations Council, in
accordance with, inter alia, the electoral procedures laid down
in the Congress resolutions pertaining to this matter;
1.9 elect the Director General and Deputy Director
General;
1.10 set in a Congress resolution the ceiling of the costs to
be borne by the Union for the production of documents in Chinese,
German, Portuguese and Russian.
2 Congress, as the supreme body of the Union, shall deal with
such other questions concerning postal services.
Article II
(Art. 104 amended)
Rules of Procedure of Congresses
1 For the organization of its work and the conduct of its
debates, Congress shall apply its Rules of Procedure.
2 Each Congress may amend its Rules of Procedure under the
conditions laid down in those Rules of Procedure.
3 Paragraphs 1 and 2 shall also be
applicable by analogy to Extraordinary Congresses.
Article III
(Art. 105 amended)
Observers to the Union's bodies
1 The following entities shall be invited to participate in
the plenary sessions and committee meetings of Congress, the
Council of Administration and the Postal Operations Council as
observers:
1.1 the United Nations;
1.2 Restricted Unions;
1.3 members of the Consultative Committee;
1.4 entities authorized to attend Union meetings as observers
by virtue of a resolution or decision of Congress.
2 The following entities, if duly designated by the Council of
Administration in accordance with article 107.1.12 shall be
invited to attend specific meetings of Congress as ad hoc
observers:
2.1 specialized agencies of the United Nations and other
intergovernmental organizations;
2.2 any international body, any association or enterprise, or
any qualified person.
3 In addition to the observers defined in paragraph 1 of this
article, the Council of Administration and the Postal Operations
Council may designate ad hoc observers to attend their meetings
in accordance with their Rules of Procedure, when this is in the
interests of the Union and its bodies.
Article IV
(Art. 106 amended)
Composition and functioning of the CA
1 The Council of Administration shall consist of forty-one
members who shall exercise their functions during the period
between two successive Congresses.
2 The chairmanship shall devolve by right on the host member
country of Congress. If that member country waives this right, it
shall become a de jure member and, as a result, the geographical
group to which it belongs shall have at its disposal an
additional seat, to which the restrictive provisions of paragraph
3 shall not apply. In that case, the Council of Administration
shall elect to the chairmanship one of the members belonging to
the geographical group of the host member country.
3 The forty other members of the Council of Administration
shall be elected by Congress on the basis of an equitable
geographical distribution. At least a half of the membership is
renewed at each Congress; no member country may be chosen by
three successive Congresses.
4 Each member of the Council of Administration shall appoint
its representative(s). The members of the Council of
Administration shall take an active part in its work.
5 The office of member of the Council of Administration shall
be unpaid. The operational expenses of this Council shall be
borne by the Union.
6 The CA shall define, formalize
and/or set up the standing groups and task forces or other bodies
to be established within its structure, with due regard being
paid to the Union's strategy and business plan adopted by
Congress.
Article V
(Art. 107 amended)
Functions of the CA
1 The Council of Administration shall have the following
functions:
1.1 Supervises all the activities of the Union between
Congresses, ensuring compliance with the decisions of Congress,
studying questions with respect to governmental policies on
postal issues, and taking account of international regulatory
developments such as those relating to trade in services and to
competition.
1.2 Promotes, coordinates and supervises all forms of postal
technical assistance within the framework of international
technical cooperation.
1.3 Examines the draft quadrennial UPU business plan approved
by Congress, and finalizes it by bringing the activities set out
in the draft plan for the four-year period into line with the
actual resources available. The plan should also, if appropriate,
be in line with the results of the prioritization process carried
out by Congress. The finalized version of the quadrennial
business plan, completed and approved by the CA, will then form
the basis for the preparation of the annual UPU Programme and
Budget as well as for the annual operating plans to be drawn up
and implemented by the CA and POC.
1.4 Considers and approves the annual programme and budget and
the accounts of the Union, while taking into account the
final version of the UPU Business Plan, as described in article
107.1.3.
1.5 Authorizes the ceiling of expenditure to be exceeded, if
circumstances so require, in accordance with article 145.3 to
5.
1.6 Authorizes election of a lower contribution class, if it
is so requested, in accordance with the conditions set out in
article 150.6.
1.7 Authorizes a change of geographical group if it is so
requested by a member country, taking into account the views
expressed by the member countries which are members of the
geographical groups concerned.
1.8 Creates or abolishes International Bureau posts
financed by the regular budget, taking into account the
restrictions imposed by the expenditure ceiling fixed.
1.9 Decides on the contacts to be established with member
countries in order to carry out its functions.
1.10 After consulting the Postal Operations Council, decides
on the relations to be established with the organizations which
are not observers within the meaning of article 105.1 and
105.2.1.
1.11 Considers the reports by the International Bureau
on UPU relations with other international bodies and takes the
decisions which it considers appropriate on the conduct of such
relations and the action to be taken on them.
1.12 Designates in due course, after consulting the Postal
Operations Council and the Secretary General, the
specialized agencies of the United Nations, international
organizations, associations, enterprises and qualified persons to
be invited as ad hoc observers to specific meetings of Congress
and its Committees when this is in the interest of the Union or
the work of the Congress and instructs the Director General of
the International Bureau to issue the necessary invitations.
1.13 Designates the member country where the next Congress is
to be held in the case provided for in article 101.3.
1.14 Determines in due course and after consulting the Postal
Operations Council the number of Committees required to carry out
the work of Congress, and specifies their functions.
1.15 Designates, after consulting the Postal Operations
Council and subject to the approval of Congress, the member
countries prepared:
1.15.1 to assume the vice-chairmanships of Congress and the
chairmanships and vice-chairmanships of the Committees, taking as
much account as possible of the equitable geographical
distribution of the member countries; and
1.15.2 to sit on the Restricted Committees of the
Congress.
1.16 Designates those of its members that will serve as
members of the Consultative Committee.
1.17 Considers and approves, within the framework of its
competence, any action considered necessary to safeguard and
enhance the quality of and to modernize the international postal
service.
1.18 Studies, at the request of Congress, the Postal
Operations Council or member countries, administrative,
legislative and legal problems concerning the Union or the
international postal service; it shall be for the Council of
Administration to decide, in the above-mentioned fields, whether
it is expedient to undertake the studies requested by member
countries between Congresses.
1.19 Formulates proposals which shall be submitted for the
approval either of Congress or of member countries in accordance
with article 140.
1.20 Submits subjects for study to the Postal Operations
Council for examination in accordance with article 113.1.6.
1.21 Reviews and approves, in consultation with the Postal
Operations Council, the draft Strategy for presentation to
Congress.
1.22 Receives and discusses reports and recommendations from
the Consultative Committee and considers recommendations from the
Consultative Committee for submission to Congress.
1.23 Provides control over the activities of the International
Bureau.
1.24 Approves the annual report on the work of the Union and
the annual Financial Operating Reports prepared by the
International Bureau and, where appropriate, furnishes
observations on them.
1.25 Establishes principles, as may be considered necessary,
for the Postal Operations Council to take into account in its
study of questions with major financial repercussions (charges,
terminal dues, transit charges, basic airmail conveyance rates
and the posting abroad of letter-post items), follows closely the
study of these questions, and reviews and approves, for
conformity with the aforementioned principles, Postal Operations
Council proposals relating to these questions.
1.26 Approves, within the framework of its competence, the
recommendations of the Postal Operations Council for the
adoption, if necessary, of regulations or of a new procedure
until such time as Congress takes a decision in the matter.
1.27 Considers the annual report prepared by the Postal
Operations Council and any proposals submitted by the
Council.
1.28 Approves the four-yearly report prepared by the
International Bureau in consultation with the Postal Operations
Council, on the performance of member countries in respect of the
execution of the Union Strategy approved by the preceding
Congress, for submission to the following Congress.
1.29 Establishes the framework for the organization of the
Consultative Committee and concurs in the organization of the
Consultative Committee, in accordance with the provisions of
article 122.
1.30 Establishes criteria for membership of the Consultative
Committee and approves or rejects applications for membership in
accordance with those criteria, ensuring that action on the
applications is accomplished through an expedited process between
meetings of the Council of Administration.
1.31 Lays down the Financial Regulations of the Union.
1.32 Lays down the rules governing the Reserve Fund.
1.33 Lays down the rules governing the Special Fund.
1.34 Lays down the rules governing the Special Activities
Fund.
1.35 Lays down the rules governing the Voluntary Fund.
1.36 Lays down the Staff Regulations and the conditions of
service of the elected officials.
1.37 Lays down the Regulations of the Social Fund.
1.38 Exercises, within the context of article 152, overall
supervision of the creation and activities of user-funded
subsidiary bodies.
1.39 Adopts its Rules of Procedure
and the amendments to those Rules.
Article VI
(Art. 108 amended)
Organization of CA sessions
1 At its constituent meeting, which shall be convened and
opened by the Chairman of Congress, the Council of Administration
shall elect four Vice-Chairmen from among its members and draw up
its Rules of Procedure. The Chairman and four Vice-Chairmen
shall be member countries from each of the five geographical
groups of the Union.
2 The Council of Administration shall meet twice
a year, or additionally on an exceptional basis, at Union
headquarters, in accordance with the relevant procedures set
forth in its Rules of Procedure.
3 The Chairman and Vice-Chairmen, and the Committee
Chairmen, Co-Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen, of the
Council of Administration shall form the Management Committee.
This Committee shall prepare and direct the work of each session
of the Council of Administration. It shall approve, on behalf of
the Council of Administration, the annual report prepared by the
International Bureau on the work of the Union and it shall take
on any other task which the Council of Administration decides to
assign to it or the need for which arises in the course of the
strategic planning process.
4 The Chairman of the Postal Operations Council shall
represent that body at meetings of the Council of Administration
when the agenda contains questions of interest to the Postal
Operations Council.
5 The Chairman of the Consultative Committee shall represent
that organization at meetings of the Council of Administration
when the agenda contains questions of interest to the
Consultative Committee.
Article VII
(Art. 109 amended)
Observers
1 Observers
1.1 To ensure effective liaison between the work of the two
bodies, the Postal Operations Council may designate
representatives to attend Council of Administration meetings as
observers.
1.2 Member countries of the Union which are not members of the
Council, as well as the observers and ad hoc observers referred
to in article 105, may participate in the plenary sessions and
Committee meetings of the Council of Administration, without the
right to vote.
2 Principles
2.1 For logistical reasons, the Council of Administration may
limit the number of attendees per observer and ad hoc observer
participating. It may also limit their right to speak during the
debates.
2.2 Observers and ad hoc observers may, at their request, be
allowed to cooperate in the studies undertaken, subject to such
conditions as the Council may establish to ensure the efficiency
and effectiveness of its work. They may also be invited to chair
standing groups and task forces when their experience or
expertise justifies it. The participation of observers and ad hoc
observers shall be carried out without additional expense for the
Union.
2.3 In exceptional circumstances, members of the Consultative
Committee and ad hoc observers may be excluded from a meeting or
a portion of a meeting or may have their right to receive
documents restricted if the confidentiality of the subject of the
meeting or document so requires. This restriction may be decided
on a case-by-case basis by any body concerned or its Chair. The
case-by-case situations shall be reported to the Council of
Administration and to the Postal Operations Council when matters
of interest to the Postal Operations Council are concerned. If it
considers this necessary, the Council of Administration may
subsequently review restrictions, in consultation with the Postal
Operations Council where appropriate.
Article VIII
(Art. 110 amended)
Reimbursement of travel expenses
1 The travel expenses of each representative of each of the
members of the Council of Administration participating in its
meetings shall be borne by his member country. However,
one representative of each of the member countries
classified as developing or least developed countries according
to the lists established, respectively, by the Council
of Administration and the United Nations shall, except for
meetings which take place during Congress, be entitled to
reimbursement of the price of an economy class return air ticket
or first class return rail ticket, or expenses incurred for
travel by any other means, subject to the condition that the
amount does not exceed the price of the economy class return air
ticket. The same entitlement shall be granted to each member of
its Committees or other bodies when these meet outside
Congress and the sessions of the Council.
Article IX
(Art. 112 amended)
Composition and functioning of the POC
1 The Postal Operations Council shall consist of
forty-eight members who shall exercise their functions
during the period between successive Congresses.
2 The members of the Postal Operations Council shall be
elected by Congress on the basis of qualified geographical
distribution. At least one third of the members of each
geographical group shall be renewed at each Congress.
3 Each member of the Postal Operations Council shall appoint
its representative(s). The members of the Postal
Operations Council shall take an active part in its work.
4 The operational expenses of the Postal Operations Council
shall be borne by the Union. Its members shall not receive any
payment.
5 The Postal Operations Council
shall define, formalize and/or set up the standing groups, task
forces, user-funded subsidiary bodies or other bodies to be
established within its structure, with due regard being paid to
the Union's strategy and business plan adopted by Congress.
Article X
(Art. 113 amended)
Functions of the POC
1 The Postal Operations Council shall have the following
functions:
1.1 Coordinates practical measures for the development and
improvement of international postal services.
1.2 Takes, subject to Council of Administration approval
within the framework of the latter's competence, any action
considered necessary to safeguard and enhance the quality of and
to modernize the international postal service.
1.3 Decides on the contacts to be established with member
countries and their designated operators in order to carry out
its functions.
1.4 Takes the necessary steps to study and publicize the
experiments and progress made by certain member countries and
their designated operators in the technical, operational,
economic and vocational training fields of interest to other
member countries and their designated operators.
1.5 Takes, in consultation with the Council of Administration,
appropriate steps in the sphere of technical cooperation with all
member countries of the Union and their designated operators and
in particular with the new and developing countries and their
designated operators.
1.6 Examines any other questions submitted to it by a member
of the Postal Operations Council, by the Council of
Administration or by any member country or designated
operator.
1.7 Receives and discusses reports as well as recommendations
from the Consultative Committee and, when matters of interest to
the Postal Operations Council are involved, to examines and
comments on recommendations from the Consultative Committee for
submission to Congress.
1.8 Designates those of its members that will serve as members
of the Consultative Committee.
1.9 Conducts the study of the most important operational,
commercial, technical, economic and technical cooperation
problems which are of interest to all member countries or their
designated operators, including questions with major financial
repercussions (charges, terminal dues, transit charges, airmail
conveyance rates, parcel-post rates, and the posting abroad of
letter-post items), and prepares information, opinions and
recommendations for action on them.
1.10 Provides input to the Council of Administration for the
development of the draft Union Strategy and draft quadrennial
business plan to be submitted to Congress.
1.11 Studies teaching and vocational training problems of
interest to member countries and their designated operators, as
well as to the new and developing countries.
1.12 Studies the present position and needs of the new and
developing countries and prepares appropriate Recommendations on
ways and means of improving their postal services.
1.13 Revises the Regulations of the Union within six months
following the end of the Congress unless the latter decides
otherwise; the Postal Operations Council may also amend
the said Regulations at other sessions; in both cases, the Postal
Operations Council shall be subject to Council of Administration
guidance on matters of fundamental policy and principle.
1.14 Formulates proposals which shall be submitted for the
approval either of Congress or of member countries in accordance
with article 140; the approval of the Council of Administration
is required when these proposals concern questions within the
latter's competence.
1.15 Examines, at the request of a member country, any
proposal which that member country forwards to the International
Bureau under article 139, prepares observations on it and
instructs the International Bureau to annex these observations to
the proposal before submitting it for approval to the member
countries.
1.16 Recommends, if necessary, and where appropriate after
approval by the Council of Administration and consultation of all
the member countries, the adoption of regulations or of a new
procedure until such time as Congress takes a decision in the
matter.
1.17 Prepares and issues, in the form of recommendations to
member countries and their designated operators (or as
binding provisions if the Acts of the Union so provide),
standards for technological, operational and other processes
within its competence where uniformity of practice is essential;
it shall similarly issue, as required, amendments to standards it
has already set.
1.18 Establishes the framework for the organization of
user-funded subsidiary bodies and concurs in the organization of
these bodies in accordance with the provisions of article
152.
1.19 Receives and discusses reports from the user-funded
subsidiary bodies on an annual basis.
1.20 Adopts its Rules of Procedure
and the amendments to those Rules.
Article XI
(Art. 114 amended)
Organization of POC sessions
1 At its first meeting, which shall be convened and opened by
the Chairman of Congress, the Postal Operations Council shall
choose from among its members a Chairman and four
Vice-Chairmen, and the Committee
Chairmen/Vice-Chairmen/Co-Chairmen, and draw up its Rules
of Procedure. The Chairman and four Vice-Chairmen shall be
member countries from each of the five geographical groups of the
Union.
2 The Postal Operations Council shall meet twice
a year, or additionally on an exceptional basis, at
Union headquarters, in accordance with the relevant procedures
set forth in its Rules of Procedure.
3 The Chairman and Vice-Chairmen, and the
Committee Chairmen, Co-Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen,
of the Postal Operations Council shall form the Management
Committee. This Committee shall prepare and direct the work of
each meeting of the Postal Operations Council and take on all the
tasks which the latter decides to assign to it or the need for
which arises in the course of the strategic planning process.
4 On the basis of the Union Strategy adopted by Congress and,
in particular, the part relating to the strategies of the
permanent bodies of the Union, the Postal Operations Council
shall, at its session following Congress, prepare a basic work
programme containing a number of tactics aimed at implementing
the strategies. This basic work programme, which shall include a
limited number of projects on topical subjects of common
interest, shall be revised annually in the light of new realities
and priorities.
5 The Chairman of the Consultative Committee shall represent
that organization at meetings of the Postal Operations Council
when the agenda contains questions of interest to the
Consultative Committee.
Article XII
(Art. 115 amended)
Observers
1 Observers
1.1 In order to ensure effective liaison between the work of
the two bodies, the Council of Administration may designate
representatives to attend Postal Operations Council meetings as
observers.
1.2 Member countries of the Union which are not members of the
Council, as well as the observers and ad hoc observers referred
to in article 105, may participate in the plenary sessions and
Committee meetings of the Postal Operations Council, without the
right to vote.
2 Principles
2.1 For logistical reasons, the Postal Operations Council may
limit the number of attendees per observer and ad hoc observer
participating. It may also limit their right to speak during the
debates.
2.2 Observers and ad hoc observers may, at their request, be
allowed to cooperate in the studies undertaken, subject to such
conditions as the Council may establish to ensure the efficiency
and effectiveness of its work. They may also be invited to chair
standing groups and task forces when their experience or
expertise justifies it. The participation of observers and ad hoc
observers shall be carried out without additional expense for the
Union.
2.3 In exceptional circumstances, members of the Consultative
Committee and ad hoc observers may be excluded from a meeting or
a portion of a meeting or may have their right to receive
documents restricted if the confidentiality of the subject of the
meeting or document so requires. This restriction may be decided
on a case-by-case basis by any body concerned or its Chair. The
case-by-case situations shall be reported to the Council of
Administration and to the Postal Operations Council when matters
of interest to the Postal Operations Council are concerned. If it
considers this necessary, the Council of Administration may
subsequently review restrictions, in consultation with the Postal
Operations Council where appropriate.
Article XIII
(Art. 116 amended)
Reimbursement of travel expenses
1 Travelling and living expenses incurred by representatives
of member countries participating in the Postal Operations
Council shall be borne by these member countries. However,
one representative of each of the member countries
considered to be one of the least developed countries
according to the list established by the United Nations
shall, except for meetings which take place during Congress, be
entitled to reimbursement of the price of an economy class return
air ticket or first class return rail ticket, or expenses
incurred for travel by any other means, subject to the condition
that the amount does not exceed the price of the economy class
return air ticket.
Article XIV
(Art. 117bis added)
Article 117bis
Coordination Committee for the Permanent Bodies of the Union
1 The Chairman of the CA, the
Chairman of the POC and the Director General of the International
Bureau shall form the Coordination Committee for the Permanent
Bodies of the Union (CCoord).
2 The CCoord shall have the
following attributions and functions:
2.1 Contribute to the coordination
of the work of the permanent bodies of the Union;
2.2 Meet, when needed, in order to
discuss important questions relating to the Union and the postal
service and provide the Union's bodies with an evaluation of such
questions;
2.3 Ensure proper implementation of
the strategic planning process so that all decisions on the
Union's activities are taken by the appropriate bodies in
accordance with the respective responsibilities as specified in
the Acts of the Union.
3 On convocation by the Chairman of
the CA, the CCoord shall meet twice a year, at Union
headquarters. The date and place of the meetings shall be fixed
by the Chairman of the CA in agreement with the Chairman of the
POC and the Director General of the International Bureau.
Article XV
(Art. 123 amended)
Representatives of the Consultative Committee at the Council of
Administration, the Postal Operations Council and Congress
1 In order to ensure effective liaison with the bodies of the
Union, the Consultative Committee may designate representatives
to attend meetings of Congress, the Council of Administration,
and the Postal Operations Council, and their respective
Committees, as observers without the right to vote.
2 Members of the Consultative Committee are invited to plenary
sessions and Committee meetings of the Council of Administration
and the Postal Operations Council in accordance with article 105.
They may also participate in the work of standing groups and
task forces under terms established in articles 109.2.2 and
115.2.2.
3 The Chairman of the Council of Administration and the
Chairman of the Postal Operations Council shall represent those
bodies at meetings of the Consultative Committee when the agenda
of such meetings contains questions of interest to those
bodies.
Article XVI
(Art. 127 amended)
Duties of the Director General
0bis The Director General shall be
the legal representative of the Union.
1 The Director General shall organize, administer and direct
the International Bureau.
2 Regarding the classification of posts, appointments and
promotions:
2.1 the Director General shall be empowered to classify posts
in grades G 1 to D 2 and to appoint and promote officials in
those grades.
2.2 for appointments in grades P 1 to D 2, he shall consider
the professional qualifications of the candidates recommended by
the member countries of which the candidates are nationals or in
which they exercise their professional activities, taking into
account equitable geographical distribution with respect to
continents and languages. D 2 posts shall as far as possible be
filled by candidates from different regions and from regions
other than those from which the Director General and Deputy
Director General originate, bearing in mind the paramount
consideration of the efficiency of the International Bureau. In
the case of posts requiring special qualifications, the Director
General may seek applications from outside;
2.3 he shall also consider, for the appointment of a new
official, that, in principle, persons occupying grade D 2, D 1
and P 5 posts must be nationals of different member countries of
the Union;
2.4 for the promotion of an official of the International
Bureau to grades D 2, D 1 and P 5, he shall not be bound to apply
the same principle as under 2.3;
2.5 the requirements of equitable geographical and language
distribution shall rank behind merit in the recruitment
process;
2.6 the Director General shall inform the Council of
Administration once a year of appointments and promotions in
grades P 4 to D 2.
3 Furthermore, the Director General shall have the following
duties:
3.1 acts as depositary of the Acts of the Union and as
intermediary in the procedure of accession and admission to and
withdrawal from the Union;
3.2 notifies the decisions taken by Congress to all the
Governments of member countries;
3.3 all member countries and their designated operators of the
Regulations drawn up or revised by the Postal Operations
Council;
3.4 prepares the draft annual budget of the Union at the
lowest possible level consistent with the requirements of the
Union and submits it in due course to the Council of
Administration for consideration; communicates the budget to the
member countries of the Union after approval by the Council of
Administration and executes it;
3.5 executes the specific activities requested by the bodies
of the Union and those assigned to him by the Acts;
3.6 takes action to achieve the objectives set by the bodies
of the Union, within the framework of the established policy and
the funds available;
3.7 submits suggestions and proposals to the Council of
Administration or to the Postal Operations Council;
3.8 following the close of Congress, submits proposals to the
Postal Operations Council concerning changes to the Regulations
required as a result of Congress decisions, in accordance with
the Rules of Procedure of the Postal Operations Council;
3.9 prepares, for the Council of Administration and on the
basis of directives issued by the Councils, the draft Union
Strategy and draft quadrennial UPU business plan to be submitted
to Congress;
3.10 prepares, for approval by the Council of Administration,
a four-yearly report on the member countries' performance in
respect of the Union Strategy approved by the preceding Congress,
which will be submitted to the following Congress;
3.11 (Deleted.)
3.12 acts as an intermediary in relations between:
3.12.1 the UPU and the Restricted Unions;
3.12.2 the UPU and the United Nations;
3.12.3 the UPU and the international organizations whose
activities are of interest to the Union;
3.12.4 the UPU and the international organizations or the
associations or enterprises that the bodies of the Union wish to
consult or associate with their work;
3.13 assumes the duties of Secretary General of the bodies of
the Union and supervises in this capacity, taking into account
the special provisions of these General Regulations, in
particular:
3.13.1 the preparation and organization of the work of the
Union's bodies;
3.13.2 the preparation, production and distribution of
documents, reports and minutes;
3.13.3 the functioning of the secretariat at meetings of the
Union's bodies;
3.14 attends the meetings of the bodies of the Union and takes
part in the discussions without the right to vote, with the
possibility of being represented.
Article XVII
(Art. 130 amended)
Preparation and distribution of documents of the Union bodies
1 The International Bureau shall prepare and make available
through the Union website all the documents published, in
the language versions specified in article 155, in accordance
with the Rules of Procedure of the Council of Administration and
Postal Operations Council. The International Bureau shall
also indicate, to the representatives of member countries in
particular, new e-document publications on the Union
website by means of an efficient web-signalling system.
2 Furthermore, the International Bureau shall physically
distribute Union publications, such as International Bureau
circulars and CA and POC Summary Records, only at the request of
an individual member country.
Article XVIII
(Art. 138 amended)
Procedure for submitting proposals to Congress
1 Subject to the exceptions provided for in paragraphs 2 and
5, the following procedure shall govern the submission of
proposals of all kinds to Congress by member countries:
1.1 proposals which reach the International Bureau at least
six months before the date fixed for Congress shall be
accepted;
1.2 no drafting proposal shall be accepted during the period
of six months preceding the date fixed for Congress;
1.3 proposals of substance which reach the International
Bureau in the interval between six and four months before the
date fixed for Congress shall not be accepted unless they are
supported by at least two member countries;
1.4 proposals of substance which reach the International
Bureau in the interval between four and two months preceding the
date fixed for Congress shall not be accepted unless they are
supported by at least eight member countries; proposals which
arrive after that time shall no longer be accepted;
1.5 declarations of support must reach the International
Bureau within the same period of time as the proposals to which
they refer.
2 Proposals concerning the Constitution or the General
Regulations shall reach the International Bureau not later than
six months before the opening of Congress; any received after
that date but before the opening of Congress shall not be
considered unless Congress so decides by a majority of two thirds
of the member countries represented at Congress and unless the
conditions laid down in paragraph 1 are fulfilled.
3 Every proposal must, as a rule, have only one aim and
contain only the changes justified by that aim. Similarly, each
proposal liable to lead to significant costs for the Union shall
be accompanied by an indication of its financial impact, prepared
by the member country submitting the proposal, in consultation
with the International Bureau, so that the financial resources
needed for its implementation can be determined.
4 Drafting proposals shall be headed "Drafting
proposal" by the member countries which submit them and
shall be published by the International Bureau under a number
followed by the letter R. Proposals which do not bear this
indication but which, in the opinion of the International Bureau,
deal only with drafting points shall be published with an
appropriate annotation; the International Bureau shall draw up a
list of these proposals for Congress.
5 procedure prescribed in paragraphs 1 and 4 shall apply
neither to proposals concerning the Rules of Procedure of
Congresses, nor to proposals submitted by the Council of
Administration or the Postal Operations Council.
Article XIX
(Art. 144 amended)
Entry into force of the Regulations and of the other decisions
adopted between Congresses
1 The Regulations shall come into force on the same date and
shall have the same duration as the Acts laid down by
Congress.
2 Subject to the provisions of paragraph 1, decisions on
amending the Acts of the Union which are adopted between
Congresses shall not take effect until at least three months
after their notification. However, this time requirement shall
not apply to any amendments to the Regulations which are adopted
following the drawing up of the new Regulations but still prior
to their entry into force as per paragraph 1.
Article XX
(Art. 146 amended)
Regulation of member countries' contributions
1 Countries which accede to the Union or are admitted to the
status of members of the Union as well as those which leave the
Union shall pay their contributions for the whole of the year
during which their admission or withdrawal becomes effective.
2 Member countries shall pay their contributions to the
Union's annual expenditure in advance on the basis of the budget
laid down by the Council of Administration. These contributions
shall be paid not later than the first day of the financial year
to which the budget refers. After that date, the sums due shall
be chargeable with interest in favour of the Union at the rate of
5% per annum from the fourth month.
3 Where the arrears of mandatory contributions, not including
interest, owed to the Union by a member country are equal to or
more than the amount of the contributions of that member country
for the preceding two financial years, such member country may
irrevocably assign to the Union all or part of the credits owed
it by other member countries, in accordance with the arrangements
laid down by the Council of Administration. The conditions of
this assignment of credit shall be determined by agreement
reached between the member country, its debtors/creditors and the
Union.
4 A member country which, for legal or other reasons, cannot
make such an assignment must undertake to conclude a schedule for
the amortization of its arrears.
5 Other than in exceptional circumstances, recovery of arrears
of mandatory contributions owed to the Union may not extend over
more than ten years.
6 In exceptional circumstances, the Council of Administration
may release a member country from all or part of the interest
owed if that country has paid the full capital amount of its
debts in arrears.
7 A member country may also be released, within the framework
of an amortization schedule approved by the Council of
Administration for its accounts in arrears, from all or part of
the interest accumulated or to accrue; such release shall,
however, be subject to the full and punctual execution of the
amortization schedule within an agreed period of ten years at
most.
8 The provisions under paragraphs 3 to 7 apply by analogy to
the translation costs billed by the International Bureau to
member countries belonging to the language groups.
9 The International Bureau shall send bills to member
countries at least three months before their due date. The
original bills shall be sent to the correct address provided by
the member country concerned. Electronic copies of the bills
shall be sent via e-mail as pre-advice or alerts.
10 Furthermore, the International Bureau shall provide member
countries with clear information each time it charges them
interest on overdue payment of particular bills, so that member
countries can easily verify to which bills the interest
corresponds.
Article XXI
(Art. 150 amended)
Contribution classes
1 Member countries shall contribute to defraying Union
expenses according to the contribution class to which they
belong. These classes shall be the following:
- class of 50 units;
- class of 47 units;
- class of 45 units;
- class of 43 units;
- class of 40 units;
- class of 37 units;
- class of 35 units;
- class of 33 units;
- class of 30 units;
- class of 27 units;
- class of 25 units;
- class of 23 units;
- class of 20 units;
- class of 17 units;
- class of 15 units;
- class of 13 units;
- class of 10 units;
- class of 7 units;
- class of 5 units;
- class of 3 units;
- class of 1 unit;
- class of 0.5 units, reserved for least developed
countries as listed by the United Nations and for other countries
designated by the Council of Administration;
- class of 0.1 units, reserved for
countries which are recognized by the United Nations as Small
Island Developing States with a population of under 200,000 (as
per the latest statistical information published by the relevant
office of the United Nations).
2 Notwithstanding the contribution classes listed in paragraph
1, any member country may elect to contribute a higher number of
units than that corresponding to the contribution class to which
it belongs, for a minimum term equivalent to the period between
Congresses. The announcement of a change shall be made at the
latest at Congress. At the end of the period between Congresses,
the member country shall return automatically to its original
number of contribution units unless it decides to maintain its
contribution of a higher number of units. The payment of
additional contributions will increase the expenditure
accordingly.
3 Member countries shall be included in one of the
above-mentioned contribution classes upon their admission or
accession to the Union, in accordance with the procedure laid
down in article 21.4 of the Constitution.
4 Member countries may subsequently be placed in a lower
contribution class, on condition that the request for this change
is sent the International Bureau at least two months before the
opening of Congress. Congress shall give a non-binding opinion on
these requests for a change in contribution class. The member
country shall be free to decide whether to follow the opinion of
Congress. The final decision of the member country shall be
transmitted to the International Bureau Secretariat before the
end of Congress. This change request shall take effect on the
date of the entry into force of the financial provisions drawn up
by Congress. Member countries that have not made known their wish
to change contribution class within the required time shall
remain in the class to which they belonged up to that time.
5 Member countries may not insist on being lowered more than
one class at a time.
6 Nevertheless, in exceptional circumstances such as natural
disasters necessitating international aid programmes, the Council
of Administration may authorize a temporary reduction in
contribution class once between two Congresses when so requested
by a member country if the said member establishes that it can no
longer maintain its contribution at the class originally chosen.
In the same circumstances, the Council of Administration may also
authorize a temporary reduction for the non-least developed
countries already in the class of 1 unit by placing them in the
class of 0.5 units.
7 The temporary reduction in contribution class in application
of paragraph 6 may be authorized by the Council of Administration
for a maximum period of two years or up to the next Congress,
whichever is earlier. On expiry of the specified period, the
country concerned shall automatically revert to its original
contribution class.
8 Notwithstanding paragraphs 4 and 5, changes to a higher
class shall not be subject to any restriction.
Article XXII
(Art. 152 amended)
Organization of user-funded subsidiary bodies
1 Subject to the approval of the Council of Administration,
the POC may establish a number of userfunded subsidiary bodies,
funded by voluntary means, in order to organize operational,
commercial, technical and economic activities which fall within
its competence under article 18 of the Constitution, but which
may not be financed by the regular budget.
2 Upon the creation of such a body under the POC, the POC
shall decide on the basic framework of the rules of
procedure of the body, taking due consideration of the
fundamental rules and principles of the UPU as an
intergovernmental organization, and shall submit it to the CA for
approval. The basic framework shall include the following
elements:
2.1 the mandate;
2.2 the constituency, including the categories of members
participating;
2.3 decision-making rules, including its internal structure
and its relationship with other Union bodies;
2.4 voting and representation principles;
2.5 financing (subscription, usage fees, etc.);
2.6 composition of secretariat and management structure.
3 Each user-funded subsidiary body shall organize its
activities in an autonomous manner within the basic framework
decided by the POC and approved by the CA, and shall prepare an
annual report on its activities for consideration by the
POC.
4 The Council of Administration shall establish the rules
concerning support costs that user-funded subsidiary bodies
should contribute to the regular budget, and shall publish them
in the UPU Financial Regulations.
5 The Director General of the International Bureau shall
administer the secretariat of the user-funded subsidiary bodies
in accordance with the relevant Staff Regulations and
Rules, as applicable to the staff recruited for the
user-funded subsidiary bodies. The secretariat of the subsidiary
bodies shall be an integral part of the International Bureau.
6 Information concerning user-funded subsidiary bodies
established in accordance with this article shall be reported to
Congress following their establishment.
Article XXIII
Entry into force and duration of the Additional Protocol to the
General Regulations of the Universal Postal Union
1 This Additional Protocol shall come into force on 1 July
2019 and shall remain in force for an indefinite period.
In witness whereof the plenipotentiaries of the governments of
the member countries have drawn up this Additional Protocol,
which shall have the same force and the same validity as if its
provisions were inserted in the text of the General Regulations
itself, and they have signed it in a single original which shall
be deposited with the Director General of the International
Bureau. A copy thereof shall be delivered to each party by the
International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union.
Done at Addis Ababa, 7 September 2018