Universal Postal Convention
Table of contents
Article
Section I
Rules applicable in common throughout the international postal
service
1 Definitions
2 Designation of the entity or entities responsible for
fulfilling the obligations arising from adherence to the
Convention
3 Universal postal service
4 Freedom of transit
5 Ownership of postal items. Withdrawal from the post.
Alteration or correction of address and/or name of the addressee
(name of the legal person, or family name, given name or
patronymic (if any)). Redirection. Return to sender of
undeliverable items
6 Postage stamps
7 Sustainable development
8 Postal security
9 Violations
10 Processing of personal data
11 Exchange of closed mails with military units
12 Posting abroad of letter-post items
13 Use of UPU forms
Section II
Quality of service standards and targets
14 Quality of service standards and targets
Section
III
Charges, surcharges and exemption from postal charges
15 Charges
16 Exemption from postal charges
Section IV
Basic and supplementary services
17 Basic services
18 Supplementary services
Section V
Prohibitions and customs matters
19 Items not admitted. Prohibitions
20 Customs control. Customs duty and other fees
Section VI
Liability
21 Inquiries
22 Liability of designated operators. Indemnities
23 Non-liability of member countries and designated
operators
24 Sender's liability
25 Payment of indemnity
26 Possible recovery of the indemnity from the sender or the
addressee
Section
VII
Remuneration
A. Transit charges
27 Transit charges
B. Terminal dues
28 Terminal dues. General provisions
29 Terminal dues. Self-declaration of rates for bulky (E) and
small packet (E) letter-post items
30 Terminal dues. Provisions applicable to mail flows between
designated operators of countries in the target system
31 Terminal dues. Provisions applicable to flows to, from and
between designated operators of countries in the transitional
system
32 Quality of Service Fund
C. Rates for parcel post
33 Parcel post land and sea rates
D. Air conveyance dues
34 Basic rates and provisions concerning air conveyance
dues
E. Settlement of accounts
35 Provisions specific to the settlement of accounts and
payments for international postal exchanges
F. Fixing of charges and rates
36 Authority of the Postal Operations Council to fix charges
and rates
Section
VIII
Optional services
37 EMS and integrated logistics
38 Electronic postal services
Section IX
Final provisions
39 Conditions of approval of proposals concerning the
Convention and the Regulations
40 Reservations at Congress
41 Entry into force and duration of the Convention
Universal Postal
Convention
The undersigned, plenipotentiaries of the governments of the
member countries of the Union, having regard to article 22.3 of
the Constitution of the Universal Postal Union concluded at
Vienna on 10 July 1964, have by common consent and subject to
article 25.4 of the Constitution drawn up in this Convention the
rules applicable throughout the international postal service.
Section I
Rules applicable in common throughout the international postal
service
Article 1
Definitions
1 For the purposes of the Universal Postal Convention, the
following terms shall have the meanings defined below:
1.1 letter-post item: item described in and conveyed under the
conditions of the Universal Postal Convention and
Regulations;
1.2 parcel-post item: item described in and conveyed under the
conditions of the Universal Postal Convention and
Regulations;
1.3 EMS item: item described in and conveyed under the
conditions of the Universal Postal Convention, Regulations and
associated EMS instruments;
1.4 documents: a letter-post, parcel-post or EMS item
consisting of any piece of written, drawn, printed or digital
information, excluding objects of merchandise, whose physical
specifications lie within the limits specified in the
Regulations;
1.5 goods: a letter-post, parcel-post or EMS item consisting
of any tangible and movable object other than money, including
objects of merchandise, which does not fall under the definition
of "documents" as provided in paragraph 1.4 above and
whose physical specifications lie within the limits specified in
the Regulations;
1.6 closed mail: labelled receptacle(s) sealed with or without
lead, containing postal items;
1.7 misrouted mails: receptacles received at an office of
exchange other than the one mentioned on the (receptacle)
label;
1.8 personal data: information needed to identify a postal
service user;
1.9 missent items: items received at an office of exchange
meant for an office of exchange in another member country;
1.10 transit charges: remuneration for services rendered by a
carrier in the country crossed (designated operator, other
service or combination of the two) in respect of the land, sea
and/or air transit of letterpost items;
1.11 terminal dues: remuneration owed to the designated
operator of the country of destination by the designated operator
of the dispatching country in compensation for the costs incurred
in the country of destination for letter-post items received;
1.12 designated operator: any governmental or non-governmental
entity officially designated by the member country to operate
postal services and to fulfil the related obligations arising out
of the Acts of the Union on its territory;
1.13 small packet: item conveyed under the conditions of the
Convention and the Regulations;
1.14 inward land rate: remuneration owed to the designated
operator of the country of destination by the designated operator
of the dispatching country in compensation for the costs incurred
in the country of destination for parcels received;
1.15 transit land rate: remuneration owed for services
rendered by a carrier in the country crossed (designated
operator, other service or combination of the two) in respect of
the land and/or air transit of parcels through its territory;
1.16 sea rate: remuneration owed for services rendered by a
carrier (designated operator, other service or a combination of
the two) participating in the sea conveyance of parcels;
1.17 inquiry: a complaint or query relating to the use of a
postal service submitted in accordance with the conditions of the
Convention and its Regulations;
1.18 universal postal service: the permanent provision of
quality basic postal services at all points in a member country's
territory, for all customers, at affordable prices;
1.19 transit à découvert: open transit through an intermediate
country, of items whose number or weight does not justify the
make-up of closed mails for the destination country.
Article 2
Designation of the entity or entities responsible for fulfilling
the obligations arising from adherence to the Convention
1 Member countries shall notify the International Bureau,
within six months of the end of Congress, of the name and address
of the governmental body responsible for overseeing postal
affairs. Within six months of the end of Congress, member
countries shall also provide the International Bureau with the
name and address of the operator or operators officially
designated to operate postal services and to fulfil the
obligations arising from the Acts of the Union on their
territory. Between Congresses, member countries shall notify the
International Bureau of any changes in the governmental bodies as
soon as possible. Any changes with regard to the officially
designated operators shall also be notified to the International
Bureau as soon as possible, and preferably at least three months
prior to the entry into force of the change.
2 When a member country officially designates a new operator,
it shall indicate the scope of the postal services that the
latter will provide under the Acts of the Union, as well as the
operator's geographical coverage on its territory.
Article 3
Universal postal service
1 In order to support the concept of the single postal
territory of the Union, member countries shall ensure that all
users/customers enjoy the right to a universal postal service
involving the permanent provision of quality basic postal
services at all points in their territory, at affordable
prices.
2 With this aim in view, member countries shall set forth,
within the framework of their national postal legislation or by
other customary means, the scope of the postal services offered
and the requirement for quality and affordable prices, taking
into account both the needs of the population and their national
conditions.
3 Member countries shall ensure that the offers of postal
services and quality standards will be achieved by the operators
responsible for providing the universal postal service.
4 Member countries shall ensure that the universal postal
service is provided on a viable basis, thus guaranteeing its
sustainability.
Article 4
Freedom of transit
1 The principle of the freedom of transit is set forth in
article 1 of the Constitution. It shall carry with it the
obligation for each member country to ensure that its designated
operators forward, always by the quickest routes and the most
secure means which they use for their own items, closed mails and
à découvert letterpost items which are passed to them by another
designated operator. This principle shall also apply to missent
items and misrouted mails.
2 Member countries which do not participate in the exchange of
postal items containing infectious substances or radioactive
substances shall have the option of not admitting these items in
transit à découvert through their territory. The same shall also
apply to printed papers, periodicals, magazines, small packets
and M bags the content of which does not satisfy the legal
requirements governing the conditions of their publication or
circulation in the country crossed.
3 Freedom of transit for parcels shall be guaranteed
throughout the territory of the Union.
4 If a member country fails to observe the provisions
regarding freedom of transit, other member countries may
discontinue their provision of postal services with that member
country.
Article 5
Ownership of postal items. Withdrawal from the post. Alteration
or correction of address and/or name of the addressee (name of
the legal person, or family name, given name or patronymic (if
any)). Redirection. Return to sender of undeliverable items
1 A postal item shall remain the property of the sender until
it is delivered to the rightful owner, except when the item has
been seized in pursuance of the national legislation of the
country of origin or destination and, in case of application of
article 19.2.1.1 or 19.3, in accordance with the national
legislation of the country of transit.
2 The sender of a postal item may have it withdrawn from the
post or have its address and/or the name of the addressee (name
of the legal person, or family name, given name or patronymic (if
any)) altered or corrected. The charges and other conditions are
laid down in the Regulations.
3 Member countries shall ensure that their designated
operators redirect postal items if an addressee has changed his
address, and return undeliverable items to the sender. The
charges and other conditions are laid down in the
Regulations.
Article 6
Postage stamps
1 The term "postage stamp" shall be protected under
the present Convention and shall be reserved exclusively for
stamps which comply with the conditions of this article and of
the Regulations.
2 Postage stamps:
2.1 shall be issued and put into circulation solely under the
authority of the member country or territory, in conformity with
the Acts of the Union;
2.2 are a manifestation of sovereignty and constitute proof of
prepayment of the postage corresponding to their intrinsic value
when affixed to postal items, in conformity with the Acts of the
Union;
2.3 must be in circulation, for postal prepayment or for
philatelic purposes, in the member country or territory of issue,
according to its national legislation;
2.4 must be accessible to all citizens within the member
country or territory of issue.
3 Postage stamps comprise:
3.1 the name of the member country or territory of issue, in
roman letters, or, if the UPU International Bureau is so
requested by the member country or territory of issue, the
abbreviation or initials officially representing the member
country or territory of issue, in accordance with the conditions
laid down in the Regulations;1
3.2 the face value, expressed:
3.2.1 in principle, in the official currency of the country or
territory of issue, or as a letter or symbol;
3.2.2 through other identifying characteristics.
4 Emblems of state, official control marks and logos of
intergovernmental organizations featuring on postage stamps shall
be protected within the meaning of the Paris Convention for the
Protection of Industrial Property.
5 The subjects and designs of postage stamps shall:
5.1 be in keeping with the spirit of the Preamble to the UPU
Constitution and with decisions taken by the Union's bodies;
5.2 be closely linked to the cultural identity of the member
country or territory, or contribute to the dissemination of
culture or to maintaining peace;
5.3 have, when commemorating leading figures or events not
native to the member country or territory, a close bearing on the
country or territory in question;
5.4 be devoid of political character or of any topic of an
offensive nature in respect of a person or a country;
5.5 be of major significance to the member country or
territory.
6 Postal prepayment impressions, franking machine impressions
and impressions made by a printing press or another printing or
stamping process in accordance with the Acts of the Union may be
used only with the authorization of the member country or
territory.
7 Prior to issuing postage stamps using new materials or
technologies, member countries shall provide the International
Bureau with the necessary information concerning their
compatibility with mail processing machines. The International
Bureau shall inform the other member countries and their
designated operators accordingly.
Article 7
Sustainable development
1 Member countries and/or their designated operators shall
adopt and implement a proactive sustainable development strategy
focusing on environmental, social and economic action at all
levels of postal operations and promote sustainable development
awareness.
Article 8
Postal security
1 Member countries and their designated operators shall
observe the security requirements defined in the UPU security
standards and shall adopt and implement a proactive security
strategy at all levels of postal operations to maintain and
enhance the confidence of the general public in the postal
services provided by designated operators, in the interests of
all officials involved. This strategy shall include the
objectives defined in the Regulations, as well as the principle
of complying with requirements for providing electronic advance
data on postal items identified in implementing provisions
(including the type of, and criteria for, postal items) adopted
by the Council of Administration and Postal Operations Council,
in accordance with UPU technical messaging standards. The
strategy shall also include the exchange of information on
maintaining the safe and secure transport and transit of mails
between member countries and their designated operators.
2 Any security measures applied in the international postal
transport chain must be commensurate with the risks or threats
that they seek to address, and must be implemented without
hampering worldwide mail flows or trade by taking into
consideration the specificities of the mail network. Security
measures that have a potential global impact on postal operations
must be implemented in an internationally coordinated and
balanced manner, with the involvement of the relevant
stakeholders.
Article 9
Violations
1 Postal items
1.1 Member countries shall undertake to adopt the necessary
measures to prevent, prosecute and punish any person found guilty
of the following:
1.1.1 the insertion in postal items of narcotics and
psychotropic substances, as well as dangerous goods, where their
insertion has not been expressly authorized by the Convention and
Regulations;
1.1.2 the insertion in postal items of objects of a
paedophilic nature or of a pornographic nature using
children.
2 Means of postal prepayment and postal payment itself
2.1 Member countries shall undertake to adopt the necessary
measures to prevent, prosecute and punish any violations
concerning the means of postal prepayment set out in this
Convention, such as:
2.1.1 postage stamps, in circulation or withdrawn from
circulation;
2.1.2 prepayment impressions;
2.1.3 impressions of franking machines or printing
presses;
2.1.4 international reply coupons.
2.2 In this Convention, violations concerning means of postal
prepayment refer to any of the acts outlined below committed by
any persons with the intention of obtaining illegitimate gain for
oneself or for a third party. The following acts shall be
punished:
2.2.1 any act of falsifying, imitating or counterfeiting any
means of postal prepayment, or any illegal or unlawful act linked
to the unauthorized manufacturing of such items;
2.2.2 manufacture, use, release for circulation,
commercialization, distribution, dissemination, transportation,
exhibition or display (also in the form of catalogues and for
advertising purposes) of any means of postal prepayment which has
been falsified, imitated or counterfeited;
2.2.3 any act of using or circulating, for postal purposes,
any means of postal prepayment which has already been used;
2.2.4 any attempt to commit any of these violations.
3 Reciprocity
3.1 As regards sanctions, no distinction shall be made between
the acts outlined in 2, irrespective of whether national or
foreign means of postal prepayment are involved; this provision
shall not be subject to any legal or conventional condition of
reciprocity.
Article 10
Processing of personal data
1 Personal data on users may be employed only for the purposes
for which they were gathered in accordance with applicable
national legislation.
2 Personal data on users shall be disclosed only to third
parties authorized by applicable national legislation to access
them.
3 Member countries and their designated operators shall ensure
the confidentiality and security of personal data on users, in
accordance with their national legislation.
4 Designated operators shall inform their customers of the use
that is made of their personal data, and of the purpose for which
they have been gathered.
5 Without prejudice to the foregoing, designated operators may
transfer electronically personal data to the designated operators
of destination or transit countries that need these data in order
to fulfil the service.
Article 11
Exchange of closed mails with military units
1 Closed letter-post mails may be exchanged through the
intermediary of the land, sea or air services of other
countries:
1.1 between the post offices of any member country and the
commanding officers of military units placed at the disposal of
the United Nations;
1.2 between the commanding officers of such military
units;
1.3 between the post offices of any member country and the
commanding officers of naval, air or army units, warships or
military aircraft of the same country stationed abroad;
1.4 between the commanding officers of naval, air or army
units, warships or military aircraft of the same country.
2 Letter-post items enclosed in the mails referred to under 1
shall be confined to items addressed to or sent by members of
military units or the officers and crews of the ships or aircraft
to or from which the mails are forwarded. The rates and
conditions of dispatch applicable to them shall be fixed,
according to its regulations, by the designated operator of the
member country which has made the military unit available or to
which the ships or aircraft belong.
3 In the absence of special agreement, the designated operator
of the member country which has made the military unit available
or to which the warships or military aircraft belong shall be
liable to the designated operators concerned for the transit
charges for the mails, the terminal dues and the air conveyance
dues.
Article 12
Posting abroad of letter-post items
1 A designated operator shall not be bound to forward or
deliver to the addressee letter-post items which senders residing
in the territory of its member country post or cause to be posted
in a foreign country with the object of profiting by the more
favourable rate conditions there.
2 The provisions set out under 1 shall be applied without
distinction both to letter-post items made up in the sender's
country of residence and then carried across the frontier and to
letter-post items made up in a foreign country.
3 The designated operator of destination may claim from the
designated operator of posting, payment of the internal rates. If
the designated operator of posting does not agree to pay these
rates within a time limit set by the designated operator of
destination, the latter may either return the items to the
designated operator of posting and shall be entitled to claim
reimbursement of the redirection costs, or handle them in
accordance with its national legislation.
4 A designated operator shall not be bound to forward or
deliver to the addressees letter-post items which senders post or
cause to be posted in large quantities in a country other than
the country where they reside if the amount of terminal dues to
be received is lower than the sum that would have been received
if the mail had been posted in the country where the senders
reside. The designated operator of destination may claim from the
designated operator of posting payment commensurate with the
costs incurred and which may not exceed the higher of the
following two amounts: either 80% of the domestic tariff for
equivalent items, or the rates applicable pursuant to articles
29, 30.5 to 30.11, 30.12 and 30.13, or 31.17, as appropriate. If
the designated operator of posting does not agree to pay the
amount claimed within a time limit set by the designated operator
of destination, the designated operator of destination may either
return the items to the designated operator of posting and shall
be entitled to claim reimbursement of the redirection costs, or
handle them in accordance with its national legislation.
Article 13
Use of UPU forms
1 Unless otherwise provided by the Acts of the Union, only
designated operators shall use UPU forms and documentation for
the operation of postal services and exchange of postal items in
accordance with the Acts of the Union.
2 Designated operators may use UPU forms and documentation for
the operation of extraterritorial offices of exchange (ETOEs), as
well as international mail processing centres (IMPCs) established
by designated operators outside their respective national
territory, as further defined in paragraph 6, in order to
facilitate the operation of the aforementioned postal services
and exchange of postal items.
3 The exercise of the possibility outlined in paragraph 2
shall be subject to the national legislation or policy of the
member country or territory in which the ETOE or IMPC is
established. In this regard, and without prejudice to the
designation obligations contained in article 2, designated
operators shall guarantee the continued fulfilment of their
obligations under the Convention and be fully responsible for all
their relations with other designated operators and with the
International Bureau.
4 The requirement set forth in paragraph 3 shall equally apply
to the destination member country for the acceptance of postal
items from such ETOEs and IMPCs.
5 Member countries shall inform the International Bureau on
their policies with regard to postal items transmitted and/or
received from ETOEs or IMPCs. Such information shall be made
available on the Union's website.
6 Strictly for the purposes of this article, ETOEs shall be
defined as offices or facilities established for commercial
purposes and operated by designated operators or under the
responsibility of designated operators on the territory of a
member country or territory other than their own, with the
objective of drawing business in markets outside their respective
national territory. IMPCs shall be defined as international mail
processing facilities for the processing of international mail
exchanged either in order to generate or receive mail dispatches,
or to act as transit centres for international mail exchanged
between other designated operators.
7 Nothing in this article shall be construed to imply that
ETOEs or IMPCs (including the designated operators responsible
for their establishment and operation outside their respective
national territory) are in the same situation under the Acts of
the Union as designated operators of the host country, nor impose
a legal obligation on other member countries to recognize such
ETOEs or IMPCs as designated operators on the territory where
they are established and operated.
Section II
Quality of service standards and targets
Article 14
Quality of service standards and targets
1 Member countries or their designated operators shall
establish, publish and update delivery standards and targets for
their inward letter-post items and parcel-post items in the
relevant compendia as specified in the Regulations.
2 These standards and targets, increased by the time normally
required for customs clearance, shall be no less favourable than
those applied to comparable items in their domestic service.
3 Member countries or their designated operators of origin
shall also establish and publish end-to-end standards for
priority and airmail letter-post items as well as for parcels and
economy/surface parcels.
4 Member countries or their designated operators shall measure
the application of quality of service standards.
Section
III
Charges, surcharges and exemption from postal charges
Article 15
Charges
1 The charges for the various postal services defined in the
Convention shall be set by the member countries or their
designated operators, depending on national legislation, in
accordance with the principles set out in the Convention and its
Regulations. They shall in principle be related to the costs of
providing these services.
2 The member country of origin or its designated operator,
depending on national legislation, shall fix the postage charges
for the conveyance of letter- and parcel-post items. The postage
charges shall cover delivery of the items to the place of address
provided that this delivery service is operated in the country of
destination for the items in question.
3 The charges collected, including those laid down for
guideline purposes in the Acts, shall be at least equal to those
collected on internal service items presenting the same
characteristics (category, quantity, handling time, etc.).
4 Member countries or their designated operators, depending on
national legislation, shall be authorized to exceed any guideline
charges appearing in the Acts.
5 Above the minimum level of charges laid down in 3, member
countries or their designated operators may allow reduced charges
based on their national legislation for letter-post items and
parcels posted in the territory of the member country. They may,
for instance, give preferential rates to major users of the
Post.
6 No postal charge of any kind may be collected from customers
other than those provided for in the Acts.
7 Except where otherwise provided in the Acts, each designated
operator shall retain the charges which it has collected.
Article 16
Exemption from postal charges
1 Principle
1.1 Cases of exemption from postal charges, as meaning
exemption from postal prepayment, shall be expressly laid down by
the Convention. Nonetheless, the Regulations may provide for
exemption from postal prepayment, transit charges, terminal dues
and inward rates for letter-post items and postal parcels sent by
member countries, designated operators and Restricted Unions and
relating to the postal services. Furthermore, letter-post items
and postal parcels sent by the UPU International Bureau to
Restricted Unions, member countries and designated operators
shall be exempted from all postal charges. However, the member
country of origin or its designated operator shall have the
option of collecting air surcharges on the latter items.
2 Prisoners of war and civilian internees
2.1 Letter-post items, postal parcels and postal payment
services items addressed to or sent by prisoners of war, either
direct or through the offices mentioned in the Regulations of the
Convention and of the Postal Payment Services Agreement, shall be
exempt from all postal charges, with the exception of air
surcharges. Belligerents apprehended and interned in a neutral
country shall be classed with prisoners of war proper so far as
the application of the foregoing provisions is concerned.
2.2 The provisions set out under 2.1 shall also apply to
letter-post items, postal parcels and postal payment services
items originating in other countries and addressed to or sent by
civilian internees as defined by the Geneva Convention of 12
August 1949 relative to the protection of civilian persons in
time of war, either direct or through the offices mentioned in
the Regulations of the Convention and of the Postal Payment
Services Agreement.
2.3 The offices mentioned in the Regulations of the Convention
and of the Postal Payment Services Agreement shall also enjoy
exemption from postal charges in respect of letter-post items,
postal parcels and postal payment services items which concern
the persons referred to under 2.1 and 2.2, which they send or
receive, either direct or as intermediaries.
2.4 Parcels shall be admitted free of postage up to a weight
of 5 kilogrammes. The weight limit shall be increased to 10
kilogrammes in the case of parcels the contents of which cannot
be split up and of parcels addressed to a camp or the prisoners'
representatives there ("hommes de confiance") for
distribution to the prisoners.
2.5 In the accounting between designated operators, rates
shall not be allocated for service parcels and for
prisoner-of-war and civilian internee parcels, apart from the air
conveyance dues applicable to air parcels.
3 Items for the blind
3.1 Any item for the blind sent to or by an organization for
the blind or sent to or by a blind person shall be exempt from
all postal charges, with the exception of air surcharges, to the
extent that these items are admissible as such in the internal
service of the sending designated operator.
3.2 In this article:
3.2.1 a blind person means a person who is registered as blind
or partially sighted in his or her country or who meets the World
Health Organization's definition of a blind person or a person
with low vision;
3.2.2 an organization for the blind means an institution or
association serving or officially representing blind persons;
3.2.3 items for the blind shall include correspondence,
literature in whatever format including sound recordings, and
equipment or materials of any kind made or adapted to assist
blind persons in overcoming the problems of blindness, as
specified in the Regulations.
Section IV
Basic and supplementary services
Article 17
Basic services
1 Member countries shall ensure that their designated
operators accept, handle, convey and deliver letter-post
items.
2 Letter-post items containing only documents are:
2.1 priority items and non-priority items, up to 2
kilogrammes;
2.2 letters, postcards and printed papers, up to 2
kilogrammes;
2.3 items for the blind, up to 7 kilogrammes;
2.4 special bags containing newspapers, periodicals, books and
similar printed documentation for the same addressee at the same
address called "M bags", up to 30 kilogrammes.
3 Letter-post items containing goods are:
3.1 priority and non-priority small packets, up to 2
kilogrammes;
3.2 items for the blind, up to 7 kilogrammes, as specified in
the Regulations;
3.3 special bags containing newspapers, periodicals, books and
similar printed documentation for the same addressee at the same
address called "M bags", up to 30 kilogrammes, as
specified in the Regulations.
4 Letter-post items shall be classified on the basis of both
the speed of treatment of the items and the contents of the items
in accordance with the Regulations.
5 Within the classification systems referred to in 4,
letter-post items may also be classified on the basis of their
format as small letters (P), large letters (G), bulky letters (E)
or small packets (E). The size and weight limits are specified in
the Regulations.
6 Higher weight limits than those indicated in paragraphs 2
and 3 apply optionally for certain letter-post item categories
under the conditions specified in the Regulations.
7 Member countries shall also ensure that their designated
operators accept, handle, convey and deliver parcel-post items up
to 20 kilogrammes.
8 Weight limits higher than 20 kilogrammes apply optionally
for certain parcel-post items under the conditions specified in
the Regulations.
Article 18
Supplementary services
1 Member countries shall ensure the provision of the following
mandatory supplementary services:
1.1 registration service for outbound priority and airmail
letter-post items;
1.2 registration service for all inbound registered
letter-post items.
2 Member countries may ensure the provision of the following
optional supplementary services in relations between those
designated operators which agreed to provide the service:
2.1 insurance for letter-post items and parcels;
2.2 cash-on-delivery service for letter-post items and
parcels;
2.3 tracked delivery service for letter-post items;
2.4 delivery to the addressee in person of registered or
insured letter-post items;
2.5 free of charges and fees delivery service for letter-post
items and parcels;
2.6 cumbersome parcels services;
2.7 consignment service for collective items from one
consignor sent abroad;
2.8 merchandise return service, which involves the return of
merchandise by the addressee to the original seller, with the
latter's authorization.
3 The following three supplementary services have both
mandatory and optional parts:
3.1 international business reply service (IBRS), which is
basically optional. All member countries or their designated
operators shall, however, be obliged to operate the IBRS
"return" service;
3.2 international reply coupons, which shall be exchangeable
in any member country. The sale of international reply coupons
is, however, optional;
3.3 advice of delivery for registered letter-post items,
parcels and insured items. All member countries or their
designated operators shall admit incoming advices of delivery.
The provision of an outward advice of delivery service is,
however, optional.
4 The description of these services and their charges are set
out in the Regulations.
5 Where the service features below are subject to special
charges in the domestic service, designated operators shall be
authorized to collect the same charges for international items,
under the conditions described in the Regulations:
5.1 delivery for small packets weighing over 500 grammes;
5.2 letter-post items posted after the latest time of
posting;
5.3 items posted outside normal counter opening hours;
5.4 collection at sender's address;
5.5 withdrawal of a letter-post item outside normal counter
opening hours;
5.6 poste restante;
5.7 storage for letter-post items weighing over 500 grammes
(with the exception of items for the blind), and for parcels;
5.8 delivery of parcels, in response to the advice of
arrival;
5.9 cover against risks of force majeure;
5.10 delivery of letter-post items outside normal counter
opening hours.
Section V
Prohibitions and customs matters
Article 19
Items not admitted. Prohibitions
1 General
1.1 Items not fulfilling the conditions laid down in the
Convention and the Regulations shall not be admitted. Items sent
in furtherance of a fraudulent act or with the intention of
avoiding full payment of the appropriate charges shall not be
admitted.
1.2 Exceptions to the prohibitions contained in this article
are set out in the Regulations.
1.3 All member countries or their designated operators shall
have the option of extending the prohibitions contained in this
article, which may be applied immediately upon their inclusion in
the relevant compendium. Any member country or its designated
operator wishing to extend or amend the list of articles that it
prohibits, or admits conditionally, as imports (or in transit)
shall inform the International Bureau, which shall then update
the relevant compendium accordingly.
2 Prohibitions in all categories of items
2.1 The insertion of the articles referred to below shall be
prohibited in all categories of items:
2.1.1 narcotics and psychotropic substances, as defined by the
International Narcotics Control Board, or other illicit drugs
which are prohibited in the country of destination;
2.1.2 obscene or immoral articles;
2.1.3 counterfeit and pirated articles;
2.1.4 other articles the importation or circulation of which
is prohibited in the country of destination;
2.1.5 articles which, by their nature or their packing, may
expose officials or the general public to danger, or soil or
damage other items, postal equipment or third-party property;
2.1.6 documents having the character of current and personal
correspondence exchanged between persons other than the sender
and the addressee or persons living with them;
3 Dangerous goods
3.1 The insertion of dangerous goods as described in the
Convention and Regulations shall be prohibited in all categories
of items.
3.2 The insertion of replica and inert explosive devices and
military ordnance, including replica and inert grenades, inert
shells and the like, shall be prohibited in all categories of
items.
3.3 Exceptionally, dangerous goods may be admitted in
relations between member countries that have declared their
willingness to admit them either reciprocally or in one
direction, provided that they are in compliance with national and
international transport rules and regulations.
4 Live animals
4.1 Live animals shall be prohibited in all categories of
items.
4.2 Exceptionally, the following shall be admitted in
letter-post items other than insured items:
4.2.1 bees, leeches and silk-worms;
4.2.2 parasites and destroyers of noxious insects intended for
the control of those insects and exchanged between officially
recognized institutions;
4.2.3 flies of the family Drosophilidae for biomedical
research exchanged between officially recognized
institutions.
4.3 Exceptionally, the following shall be admitted in
parcels:
4.3.1 live animals whose conveyance by post is authorized by
the postal regulations and/or national legislation of the
countries concerned.
5 Insertion of correspondence in parcels
5.1 The insertion of the articles mentioned below shall be
prohibited in postal parcels:
5.1.1 correspondence, with the exception of archived
materials, exchanged between persons other than the sender and
the addressee or persons living with them.
6 Coins, bank notes and other valuable articles
6.1 It shall be prohibited to insert coins, bank notes,
currency notes or securities of any kind payable to bearer,
travellers' cheques, platinum, gold or silver, whether
manufactured or not, precious stones, jewels or other valuable
articles:
6.1.1 in uninsured letter-post items;
6.1.1.1 however, if the national legislation of the countries
of origin and destination permits this, such articles may be sent
in a closed envelope as registered items;
6.1.2 in uninsured parcels; except where permitted by the
national legislation of the countries of origin and
destination;
6.1.3 in uninsured parcels exchanged between two countries
which admit insured parcels;
6.1.3.1 in addition, any member country or designated operator
may prohibit the enclosure of gold bullion in insured or
uninsured parcels originating from or addressed to its territory
or sent in transit à découvert across its territory; it may limit
the actual value of these items.
7 Printed papers and items for the blind:
7.1 shall not bear any inscription or contain any item of
correspondence;
7.2 shall not contain any postage stamp or form of prepayment,
whether cancelled or not, or any paper representing a monetary
value, except in cases where the item contains as an enclosure a
card, envelope or wrapper bearing the printed address of the
sender of the item or his agent in the country of posting or
destination of the original item, which is prepaid for
return.
8 Treatment of items wrongly admitted
8.1 The treatment of items wrongly admitted is set out in the
Regulations. However, items containing articles mentioned in
2.1.1, 2.1.2, 3.1 and 3.2 shall in no circumstances be forwarded
to their destination, delivered to the addressees or returned to
origin. In the case of articles mentioned in 2.1.1 discovered
while in transit, such items shall be handled in accordance with
the national legislation of the country of transit. In the case
of articles mentioned in 3.1 and 3.2 discovered during transport,
the relevant designated operator shall be entitled to remove the
article from the item and dispose of it. The designated operator
may then forward the remainder of the item to its destination,
together with information about the disposal of the inadmissible
article.
Article 20
Customs control. Customs duty and other fees
1 The designated operators of the countries of origin and
destination shall be authorized to submit items to customs
control, according to the legislation of those countries.
2 Items submitted to customs control may be subjected to a
presentation-to-Customs charge, the guideline amount of which is
set in the Regulations. This charge shall only be collected for
the submission to Customs and customs clearance of items which
have attracted customs charges or any other similar charge.
3 Designated operators which are authorized to clear items
through the Customs on behalf of customers, whether in the name
of the customer or of the designated operator of the destination
country, may charge customers a customs clearance fee based on
the actual costs. This fee may be charged for all items declared
at Customs according to national legislation, including those
exempt from customs duty. Customers shall be clearly informed in
advance about the required fee.
4 Designated operators shall be authorized to collect from the
senders or addressees of items, as the case may be, the customs
duty and all other fees which may be due.
Section VI
Liability
Article 21
Inquiries
1 Each designated operator shall be bound to accept inquiries
relating to parcels or registered or insured items posted in its
own service or that of any other designated operator, provided
that the inquiries are presented by customers within a period of
six months from the day after that on which the item was posted.
The transmission and processing of inquiries between designated
operators shall be made under the conditions laid down in the
Regulations. The period of six months shall concern relations
between claimants and designated operators and shall not include
the transmission of inquiries between designated operators.
2 Inquiries shall be free of charge. However, additional costs
caused by a request for transmission by EMS shall, in principle,
be borne by the person making the request.
Article 22
Liability of designated operators. Indemnities
1 General
1.1 Except for the cases provided for in article 23,
designated operators shall be liable for:
1.1.1 the loss of, theft from or damage to registered items,
ordinary parcels (with the exception of parcels in the e-commerce
delivery category ("ECOMPRO parcels"), whose
specifications are further defined in the Regulations) and
insured items;
1.1.2 the return of registered items, insured items and
ordinary parcels on which the reason for non-delivery is not
given.
1.2 Designated operators shall not be liable for items other
than those mentioned in 1.1.1 and 1.1.2, nor for ECOMPRO
parcels.
1.3 In any other case not provided for in this Convention,
designated operators shall not be liable.
1.4 When the loss of or total damage to registered items,
ordinary parcels and insured items is due to a case of force
majeure for which indemnity is not payable, the sender shall be
entitled to repayment of the charges paid for posting the item,
with the exception of the insurance charge.
1.5 The amounts of indemnity to be paid shall not exceed the
amounts mentioned in the Regulations.
1.6 In cases of liability, consequential losses, loss of
profits or moral damage shall not be taken into account in the
indemnity to be paid.
1.7 All provisions regarding liability of designated operators
shall be strict, binding and complete. Designated operators shall
in no case, even in case of severe fault, be liable above the
limits provided for in the Convention and the Regulations.
2 Registered items
2.1 If a registered item is lost, totally rifled or totally
damaged, the sender shall be entitled to an indemnity set in the
Regulations. If the sender has claimed an amount less than the
amount set in the Regulations, designated operators may pay that
lower amount and shall receive reimbursement on this basis from
any other designated operators involved.
2.2 If a registered item is partially rifled or partially
damaged, the sender is entitled to an indemnity corresponding, in
principle, to the actual value of the theft or damage.
3 Ordinary parcels
3.1 If a parcel is lost, totally rifled or totally damaged,
the sender shall be entitled to an indemnity of an amount set in
the Regulations. If the sender has claimed an amount less than
the amount set in the Regulations, designated operators may pay
that lower amount and shall receive reimbursement on this basis
from any other designated operators involved.
3.2 If a parcel is partially rifled or partially damaged, the
sender shall be entitled to an indemnity corresponding, in
principle, to the actual value of the theft or damage.
3.3 Designated operators may agree to apply, in their
reciprocal relations, the amount per parcel set in the
Regulations, regardless of the weight.
4 Insured items
4.1 If an insured item is lost, totally rifled or totally
damaged, the sender shall be entitled to an indemnity
corresponding, in principle, to the insured value in SDRs.
4.2 If an insured item is partially rifled or partially
damaged, the sender shall be entitled to an indemnity
corresponding, in principle, to the actual value of the theft or
damage. It may, however, in no case exceed the amount of the
insured value in SDRs.
5 If a registered or insured letter-post item is returned and
the reason for non-delivery is not given, the sender shall be
entitled to a refund of the charges paid for posting the item
only.
6 If a parcel is returned and the reason for non-delivery is
not given, the sender shall be entitled to a refund of the
charges paid by the sender for posting the parcel in the country
of origin and the expenses occasioned by the return of the parcel
from the country of destination.
7 In the cases mentioned in 2, 3 and 4, the indemnity shall be
calculated according to the current price, converted into SDRs,
of articles or goods of the same kind at the place and time at
which the item was accepted for conveyance. Failing a current
price, the indemnity shall be calculated according to the
ordinary value of articles or goods whose value is assessed on
the same basis.
8 When an indemnity is due for the loss of, total theft from
or total damage to a registered item, ordinary parcel or insured
item, the sender, or the addressee, as the case may be, shall
also be entitled to repayment of the charges and fees paid for
posting the item with the exception of the registration or
insurance charge. The same shall apply to registered items,
ordinary parcels or insured items refused by the addressee
because of their bad condition if that is attributable to the
designated operator and involves its liability.
9 Notwithstanding the provisions set out under 2, 3 and 4, the
addressee shall be entitled to the indemnity for a rifled,
damaged or lost registered item, ordinary parcel or insured item
if the sender waives his rights in writing in favour of the
addressee. This waiver shall not be necessary in cases where the
sender and the addressee are the same.
10 The designated operator of origin shall have the option of
paying senders in its country the indemnities prescribed by its
national legislation for registered items and uninsured parcels,
provided that they are not lower than those laid down in 2.1 and
3.1. The same shall apply to the designated operator of
destination when the indemnity is paid to the addressee. However,
the amounts laid down in 2.1 and 3.1 shall remain applicable:
10.1 in the event of recourse against the designated operator
liable; or
10.2 if the sender waives his rights in favour of the
addressee.
11 Reservations concerning the exceeding of deadlines for
inquiries and payment of indemnity to designated operators,
including the periods and conditions fixed in the Regulations,
shall not be made, except in the event of bilateral
agreement.
Article 23
Non-liability of member countries and designated operators
1 Designated operators shall cease to be liable for registered
items, parcels and insured items which they have delivered
according to the conditions laid down in their regulations for
items of the same kind. Liability shall, however, be
maintained:
1.1 when theft or damage is discovered either prior to or at
the time of delivery of the item;
1.2 when, national regulations permitting, the addressee, or
the sender if it is returned to origin, makes reservations on
taking delivery of a rifled or damaged item;
1.3 when, national regulations permitting, the registered item
was delivered to a private mail-box and the addressee declares
that he did not receive the item;
1.4 when the addressee or, in the case of return to origin,
the sender of a parcel or of an insured item, although having
given a proper discharge, notifies the designated operator that
delivered the item without delay that he has found theft or
damage. He shall furnish proof that such theft or damage did not
occur after delivery. The term "without delay" shall be
interpreted according to national law.
2 Member countries and designated operators shall not be
liable:
2.1 in cases of force majeure, subject to article 18.5.9;
2.2 when they cannot account for items owing to the
destruction of official records by force majeure, provided that
proof of their liability has not been otherwise produced;
2.3 when such loss or damage has been caused by the fault or
negligence of the sender or arises from the nature of the
contents;
2.4 in the case of items that fall within the prohibitions
specified in article 19;
2.5 when the items have been seized under the national
legislation of the country of destination, as notified by the
member country or designated operator of that country;
2.6 in the case of insured items which have been fraudulently
insured for a sum greater than the actual value of the
contents;
2.7 when the sender has made no inquiry within six months from
the day after that on which the item was posted;
2.8 in the case of prisoner-of-war or civilian internee
parcels;
2.9 when the sender's actions may be suspected of fraudulent
intent, aimed at receiving compensation.
3 Member countries and designated operators shall accept no
liability for customs declarations in whatever form these are
made or for decisions taken by the Customs on examination of
items submitted to customs control.
Article 24
Sender's liability
1 The sender of an item shall be liable for injuries caused to
postal officials and for any damage caused to other postal items
and postal equipment, as a result of the dispatch of articles not
acceptable for conveyance or the non-observance of the conditions
of acceptance.
2 In the case of damage to other postal items, the sender
shall be liable for each item damaged within the same limits as
designated operators.
3 The sender shall remain liable even if the office of posting
accepts such an item.
4 However, where the conditions of acceptance have been
observed by the sender, the sender shall not be liable, in so far
as there has been fault or negligence in handling the item on the
part of designated operators or carriers, after acceptance.
Article 25
Payment of indemnity
1 Subject to the right of recourse against the designated
operator which is liable, the obligation to pay the indemnity and
to refund the charges and fees shall rest either with the
designated operator of origin or with the designated operator of
destination.
2 The sender may waive his rights to the indemnity in favour
of the addressee. The sender, or the addressee in the case of a
waiver, may authorize a third party to receive the indemnity if
national legislation allows this.
Article 26
Possible recovery of the indemnity from the sender or the
addressee
1 If, after payment of the indemnity, a registered item, a
parcel or an insured item or part of the contents previously
considered as lost is found, the sender or the addressee, as the
case may be, shall be advised that the item is being held at his
disposal for a period of three months on repayment of the amount
of the indemnity paid. At the same time he shall be asked to whom
the item is to be delivered. In the event of refusal or failure
to reply within the prescribed period, the same approach shall be
made to the addressee or the sender as the case may be, granting
that person the same period to reply.
2 If the sender and the addressee refuse to take delivery of
the item or do not reply within the period provided for in
paragraph 1, it shall become the property of the designated
operator or, where appropriate, designated operators which bore
the loss.
3 In the case of subsequent discovery of an insured item the
contents of which are found to be of less value than the amount
of the indemnity paid, the sender or the addressee, as the case
may be, shall repay the amount of this indemnity against return
of the item, without prejudice to the consequences of fraudulent
insurance.
Section
VII
Remuneration
A. Transit
charges
Article 27
Transit charges
1 Closed mails and à découvert transit items exchanged between
two designated operators or between two offices of the same
member country by means of the services of one or more other
designated operators (third party services) shall be subject to
the payment of transit charges. The latter shall constitute
remuneration for the services rendered in respect of land
transit, sea transit and air transit. This principle shall also
apply to missent items and misrouted mails.
B. Terminal
dues
Article 28
Terminal dues. General provisions
1 Subject to exemptions provided in the Regulations, each
designated operator which receives letter-post items from another
designated operator shall have the right to collect from the
dispatching designated operator a payment for the costs incurred
for the international mail received.
2 For the application of the provisions concerning the payment
of terminal dues by their designated operators, countries and
territories shall be classified in accordance with the lists
drawn up for this purpose by Congress in its resolution C 7/2016,
as follows:
2.1 countries and territories in the target system prior to
2010 (group I);
2.2 countries and territories in the target system as of 2010
and 2012 (group II);
2.3 countries and territories in the target system as from
2016 (group III);
2.4 countries and territories in the transitional system
(group IV).
3 The provisions of the present Convention concerning the
payment of terminal dues are transitional arrangements, moving
towards a country-specific payment system at the end of the
transition period.
4 Access to domestic services. Direct access
4.1 In principle, each designated operator of a country that
was in the target system prior to 2010 shall make available to
the other designated operators all the rates, terms and
conditions offered in its domestic service on conditions
identical to those proposed to its national customers. It shall
be up to the designated operator of destination to decide whether
the terms and conditions of direct access have been met by the
designated operator of origin.
4.2 Designated operators of countries in the target system
prior to 2010 shall make available to other designated operators
of countries that were in the target system prior to 2010 the
rates, terms and conditions offered in their domestic service, on
conditions identical to those proposed to their national
customers.
4.3 Designated operators of countries that joined the target
system from 2010 may opt to make available to a limited number of
designated operators the application of domestic conditions, on a
reciprocal basis, for a trial period of two years. After that
period, they must choose either to cease making available the
application of domestic conditions or to continue to make their
own domestic conditions available to all designated operators.
However, if designated operators of countries that joined the
target system from 2010 ask designated operators of countries
that were in the target system prior to 2010 for the application
of domestic conditions, they must make available to all
designated operators the rates, terms and conditions offered in
their domestic service on conditions identical to those proposed
to their national customers.
4.4 Designated operators of countries in the transitional
system may opt not to make available to other designated
operators the application of domestic conditions. They may,
however, opt to make available to a limited number of designated
operators the application of domestic conditions, on a reciprocal
basis, for a trial period of two years. After that period, they
must choose either to cease making available the application of
domestic conditions or to continue to make their own domestic
conditions available to all designated operators.
5 Terminal dues remuneration shall be based on quality of
service performance in the country of destination. The Postal
Operations Council shall therefore be authorized to supplement
the remuneration in articles 29, 30 and 31 to encourage
participation in monitoring systems and to reward designated
operators for reaching their quality targets. The Postal
Operations Council may also fix penalties in case of insufficient
quality, but the remuneration shall not be less than the minimum
remuneration according to articles 30 and 31.
6 Any designated operator may waive wholly or in part the
payment provided for under 1.
7 M bags weighing less than 5 kilogrammes shall be considered
as weighing 5 kilogrammes for terminal dues payment purposes. The
terminal dues rates to be applied for M bags shall be:
7.1 for the year 2022, 1.016 SDR per kilogramme;
7.2 for the year 2023, 1.044 SDR per kilogramme;
7.3 for the year 2024, 1.073SDR per kilogramme;
7.4 for the year 2025, 1.103 SDR per kilogramme.
8 For registered items there shall be an additional payment of
1.463 SDR per item for 2022, 1.529 SDR per item for 2023, 1.598
SDR per item for 2024 and 1.670 SDR for 2025. For insured items,
there shall be an additional payment of 1.777 SDR per item for
2022, 1.857 SDR per item for 2023, 1.941 SDR per item for 2024
and 2.028 SDR for 2025. The Postal Operations Council shall be
authorized to supplement remuneration for these and other
supplementary services where the services provided contain
additional features to be specified in the Regulations.
9 For tracked delivery service items there shall be an
additional payment of 0.400 SDR per item in accordance with the
conditions specified in the Regulations. The Postal Operations
Council shall be authorized to supplement remuneration for
tracked delivery service items on the basis of performance in the
electronic transmission of information, as specified in the
Regulations.
10 For small packets, registered and insured and tracked
delivery service items not carrying a barcoded identifier or
carrying a barcoded identifier that is not compliant with UPU
Technical Standard S10, there shall be a further additional
payment of 0.5 SDR per item unless otherwise bilaterally
agreed.
11 The Postal Operations Council shall be authorized to
supplement remuneration and/or fix penalties in relation to
designated operators' compliance with the requirements for
providing electronic advance data on letter-post items containing
goods.
12 The remuneration for returned undeliverable letter-post
items shall be specified in the Regulations.
13 For terminal dues payment purposes, letter-post items
posted in bulk in accordance with the conditions specified in the
Regulations shall be referred to as "bulk mail". The
payment for bulk mail shall be established as provided for in
articles 29, 30 and 31, as appropriate.
14 Any designated operator may, by bilateral or multilateral
agreement, apply other payment systems for the settlement of
terminal dues accounts.
15 Designated operators may exchange non-priority mail on an
optional basis by applying a 10% discount to the priority
terminal dues rate.
16 The provisions applicable between designated operators of
countries in the target system shall apply to any designated
operator of a country in the transitional system which declares
that it wishes to join the target system. The Postal Operations
Council may set transitional measures in the Regulations. The
full provisions of the target system may apply to any new target
designated operator that declares that it wishes to apply such
full provisions without transitional measures.
Article 29
Terminal dues. Self-declaration of rates for bulky (E) and small
packet (E) letter-post items
1 Beginning with rates in effect for the year 2021 onwards and
notwithstanding articles 30 and 31, designated operators may
notify the International Bureau by 1 June of the year preceding
the year in which the selfdeclared rates would apply of a
self-declared rate per item and a self-declared rate per
kilogramme, expressed in local currency or SDR, that shall apply
for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items in the
following calendar year. The International Bureau shall annually
convert the self-declared rates provided in local currency into
values expressed in SDR. To calculate the rates in SDR, the
International Bureau shall use the average monthly exchange rate
of the five-month period ending 31 March of the year preceding
the year for which the self-declared rates would be applicable.
The resultant rates shall be notified by means of an
International Bureau circular no later than 1 July of the year
preceding the year in which the self-declared rates would apply.
The self-declared rates for bulky (E) and small packet (E)
letter-post items shall be substituted as appropriate in any
reference or rate calculation pertaining to bulky (E) and small
packet (E) letter-post items elsewhere in the Convention or the
Regulations. Additionally, each designated operator shall provide
the International Bureau with its domestic rates for equivalent
services in order to calculate the relevant ceiling rates.
1.1 Subject to 1.2 and 1.3, the self-declared rates shall:
1.1.1 at the average E format weight of 0.158 kilogrammes, not
be higher than the country-specific ceiling rates calculated in
accordance with paragraph 1.2;
1.1.2 be based on 70%, or the applicable percentage in
paragraph 8, of the domestic single-piece charge for items
equivalent to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items
offered by the designated operator in its domestic service and in
effect on 1 June of the year preceding the year for which the
self-declared rates would be applicable;
1.1.3 be based on the domestic single-piece charge in force
for items within the designated operator's domestic service
having the specified maximum size and shape dimensions of bulky
(E) and small packet (E) letter-post items;
1.1.4 be made available to all designated operators;
1.1.5 be applied only to bulky (E) and small packet (E)
letter-post items;
1.1.6 be applied to all bulky (E) and small packet (E)
letter-post flows other than bulky (E) and small packet (E)
letter-post flows from countries in the transitional system to
countries in the target system, and between countries in the
transitional system, if mail flows do not exceed 100 tonnes per
year;
1.1.7 be applied to all bulky (E) and small packet (E)
letter-post flows except for bulky (E) and small packet (E)
letter-post flows between countries in the target system as from
2010, 2012 and 2016, and from those countries to countries in the
target system prior to 2010, if mail flows do not exceed 25
tonnes per year.
1.2 The self-declared rates per item and per kilogramme for
bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items shall not be
higher than the country-specific ceiling rates determined by a
linear regression of 11 points corresponding to 70%, or the
applicable percentage in paragraph 8, of the priority single
piece tariffs of equivalent domestic services for 20-gramme,
35-gramme, 75-gramme, 175-gramme, 250-gramme, 375-gramme,
500-gramme, 750-gramme, 1,000-gramme, 1,500-gramme and
2,000-gramme bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items,
exclusive of any taxes.
1.2.1 The determination of whether the self-declared rates
exceed the ceiling rates shall be tested at the average revenue
using the most current worldwide average composition of one
kilogramme of mail in which an E format item weighs 0.158
kilogrammes. In instances in which the self-declared rates exceed
the ceiling rates at the average E format weight of 0.158
kilogrammes, the ceiling per-item and per-kilogramme rates shall
apply; alternatively, the designated operator in question may
choose to reduce its self-declared rates to a level that conforms
with paragraph 1.2.
1.2.2 When multiple packet rates are available based on
thickness, the lesser domestic tariff shall be used for items up
to 250 grammes, and the higher domestic tariff shall be used for
items above 250 grammes.
1.2.3 Where zonal rates apply in the equivalent domestic
service, the mid-point rate as specified in the Regulations shall
be used, and domestic tariffs for non-contiguous zones shall be
excluded for determination of the mid-point rate. Alternatively,
the determination of the zonal tariff to be used may be based on
the actual weighted average distance of inbound bulky (E) and
small packet (E) letter-post items (for the most recent calendar
year).
1.2.4 Where the equivalent domestic service and tariff include
additional features that are not part of the basic service, i.e.
tracking, signature and insurance services, and such features are
extended across all the weight increments listed in paragraph
1.2, the lesser of the corresponding domestic supplemental rate,
the supplemental rate, or the suggested guideline charge in the
Acts of the Union shall be deducted from the domestic tariff. The
total deduction for all additional features may not exceed 25% of
the domestic tariff.
1.3 Where the country-specific ceiling rates calculated in
accordance with paragraph 1.2 result in a revenue calculated for
an E format item at 0.158 kilogrammes that is lower than the
revenue calculated for the same item at the same weight on the
basis of the rates specified below, the self-declared rates shall
not be higher than the following rates:
1.3.1 for the year 2020, 0.614 SDR per item and 1.381 SDR per
kilogramme;
1.3.2 for the year 2021, 0.645 SDR per item and 1.450 SDR per
kilogramme;
1.3.3 for the year 2022, 0.677 SDR per item and 1.523 SDR per
kilogramme;
1.3.4 for the year 2023, 0.711 SDR per item and 1.599 SDR per
kilogramme;
1.3.5 for the year 2024, 0.747 SDR per item and 1.679 SDR per
kilogramme;
1.3.6 for the year 2025, 0.784 SDR per item and 1.763 SDR per
kilogramme.
1.4 Any additional conditions and procedures for the
self-declaration of rates applicable to bulky (E) and small
packet (E) letter-post items shall be laid down in the
Regulations. All other provisions of the Regulations pertaining
to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items shall apply
to self-declared rates, unless they are inconsistent with this
article.
1.5 Designated operators of countries in the transitional
system may apply self-declared rates on the basis of sampling of
their inbound flows.
2 In addition to the ceiling rates provided for in 1.2, the
notified self-declared rates shall not be higher than the maximum
revenues defined for the years 2021 to 2025, as follows:
2.1 2021: the revenue calculated on the basis of the
self-declared rates shall be set at the lowest between the
country-specific ceiling rates and the revenue in 2020 for an E
format item at 0.158 kilogrammes increased by 15%;
2.2 2022: the revenue calculated on the basis of the
self-declared rates shall be set at the lowest between the
country-specific ceiling rates and the revenue in 2021 for an E
format item at 0.158 kilogrammes increased by 15%;
2.3 2023: the revenue calculated on the basis of the
self-declared rates shall be set at the lowest between the
country-specific ceiling rates and the revenue in 2022 for an E
format item at 0.158 kilogrammes increased by 16%;
2.4 2024: the revenue calculated on the basis of the
self-declared rates shall be set at the lowest between the
country-specific ceiling rates and the revenue in 2023 for an E
format item at 0.158 kilogrammes increased by 16%;
2.5 2025: the revenue calculated on the basis of the
self-declared rates shall be set at the lowest between the
country-specific ceiling rates and the revenue in 2024 for an E
format item at 0.158 kilogrammes increased by 17%.
3 For rates in effect in 2021 and subsequent years, the ratio
between the self-declared item rate and kilogramme rate shall not
change by more than five percentage points upwards or downwards
compared with the ratio of the previous year. For designated
operators that self-declare rates under paragraph 7 or apply
selfdeclared rates on a reciprocal basis under paragraph 9, the
ratio in effect in 2020 shall be based on the selfdeclared
per-item rate and per-kilogramme rate established as of 1 July
2020.
4 Designated operators that opt not to self-declare their
rates in accordance with this article shall fully apply the
provisions contained in articles 30 and 31.
5 For designated operators that have elected to self-declare
their rates for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items
in a prior calendar year and that do not communicate different
self-declared rates for the subsequent year, the existing
self-declared rates shall continue to apply unless they do not
satisfy the conditions laid out in this article.
6 The International Bureau shall be informed by the designated
operator concerned of any reduction in the domestic charge
referred to in this article.
7 With effect from 1 July 2020, and notwithstanding paragraphs
1 and 2, a designated operator of a member country that received
total annual inbound letter-post volumes in 2018 in excess of
75,000 tonnes (as per the relevant official information provided
to the International Bureau or any other officially available
information assessed by the International Bureau) may
self-declare rates for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post
items, other than for the letter-post flows referred to in
paragraphs 1.1.6 and 1.1.7. The said designated operator shall
also have the right not to apply the revenue increase limits set
out in paragraph 2 for mail flows to, from and between its
country and any other country.
8 If a competent authority with oversight for the designated
operator which exercises the aforementioned option in paragraph 7
determines that, in order to cover all costs for handling and
delivery of bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items, the
designated operator's self-declared rate any year after 2020 must
be based on a cost-to-tariff ratio that exceeds 70% of the
domestic single-piece charge, then the cost-to-tariff ratio for
that designated operator may exceed 70%, subject to a limitation
that the cost-to-tariff ratio to be used shall not exceed one
percentage point above the higher of 70% or the cost-to-tariff
ratio used in the calculation of the self-declared rates
currently in effect, not to exceed 80%, and provided that the
designated operator in question furnishes all such supporting
information with its notification to the International Bureau
under paragraph 1. If any such designated operator increases its
cost-to-tariff ratio based on such a determination of a competent
authority, then it shall notify the International Bureau of that
ratio for publication by 1 May of the year preceding the year in
which the ratio shall apply. Further specifications related to
the costs and revenues to be used for the calculation of the
specific cost-to-tariff ratio shall be provided in the
Regulations.
9 Where a designated operator of a member country invokes
paragraph 7, all other corresponding designated operators,
(including those whose exempted outbound flows are referred to in
paragraphs 1.1.6 and 1.1.7) may do likewise and selfdeclare rates
for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items with respect
to the aforementioned designated operator without being subject
to the maximum revenue increase limits set out in paragraph 2.
Paragraph 8 of this article shall also apply to all such
corresponding designated operators. With respect to any such
corresponding designated operators that elect to apply
self-declared rates under this paragraph 9 (including those whose
outbound flows are optionally eligible for exemption under
paragraphs 1.1.6 and 1.1.7), the selfdeclared rates of the
designated operator that invoked paragraph 7 shall reciprocally
apply.
10 Any designated operator that invokes the possibility
outlined in paragraph 7 shall, in the calendar year of the entry
into force of the initial rates, be required to pay a charge to
the Union, for five consecutive years (beginning with the
calendar year of application of the option referred to above
under 7), in the amount of 8 million CHF per annum, for a total
of 40 million CHF. No further payment shall be expected for
self-declaration of rates in accordance with this paragraph after
the conclusion of the five-year period.
10.1 The charge referred to above shall be exclusively
allocated in accordance with the following methodology: 16
million CHF shall be allocated to a tied fund of the Union for
the implementation of projects aimed at electronic advance data
and postal security under the terms of a letter of agreement
executed between the said designated operator and the Union; and
24 million CHF shall be allocated to a tied fund for the purposes
of funding long-term liabilities of the Union, as further defined
by the Council of Administration, under the terms of a letter of
agreement executed between the said designated operator and the
Union.
10.2 The charge set forth in this paragraph shall not apply to
those designated operators of member countries that apply
self-declared rates reciprocally under paragraph 9 as a
consequence of another designated operator exercising the option
to self-declare rates in accordance with paragraph 7.
10.3 The designated operator paying the charge shall inform
the International Bureau each year how the sum of 8 million CHF
per annum is to be allocated, provided that the five annual
allocations are distributed as set out above, pursuant to the
said letter of agreement. A designated operator that exercises
the option to self-declare rates in accordance with paragraph 7
shall be provided with due reporting of the expenditures related
to the charge remitted, pursuant to this paragraph, under the
terms of a letter of agreement executed between the said
designated operator and the Union.
11 If a designated operator exercises the option to
self-declare rates in accordance with paragraph 7, or if a
designated operator reciprocally applies a self-declared rate
under paragraph 9, then simultaneously with the introduction of
self-declared rates, the said designated operator should consider
making available to sending designated operators of UPU member
countries, on a non-discriminatory basis, proportionately
adjusted charges for volume and distance, to the extent
practicable and available in the receiving country's published
domestic service for similar services under a mutually agreeable
bilateral commercial agreement, within the framework of the rules
of the national regulatory authority.
12 No reservations may be made to this article.
Article 30
Terminal dues. Provisions applicable to mail flows between
designated operators of countries in the target system
1 Payment for letter-post items, including bulk mail but
excluding M bags and IBRS items, shall be established on the
basis of the application of the rates per item and per kilogramme
reflecting the handling costs in the country of destination.
Charges corresponding to priority items in the domestic service
which are part of the universal service provision will be used as
a basis for the calculation of terminal dues rates.
2 The terminal dues rates in the target system shall be
calculated taking into account, where applicable in the domestic
service, the classification of items based on their format, as
provided for in article 17.5 of the Convention.
3 Designated operators in the target system shall exchange
format-separated mails in accordance with the conditions
specified in the Regulations.
4 Payment for IBRS items shall be as described in the
Regulations.
5 The rates per item and per kilogramme are separated for
small (P) and large (G) letter-post items and bulky (E) and small
packet (E) letter-post items. They shall be calculated on the
basis of 70% of the charges for a 20-gramme small (P) letter-post
item and for a 175-gramme large (G) letter-post item, exclusive
of VAT or other taxes. For bulky (E) and small packet (E)
letter-post items, they shall be calculated from the P/G format
line at 375 grammes, exclusive of VAT or other taxes.
6 The Postal Operations Council shall define the conditions
for the calculation of the rates as well as the necessary
operational, statistical and accounting procedures for the
exchange of format-separated mails.
7 The rates applied for flows between countries in the target
system in a given year shall not lead to an increase of more than
13% in the terminal dues revenue for a letter-post item in the
P/G format of 37.6 grammes and in the E format of 375 grammes,
compared to the previous year.
8 The rates applied for flows between countries in the target
system prior to 2010 for small (P) and for large (G) letter-post
items may not be higher than:
8.1 for the year 2022, 0.380 SDR per item and 2.966 SDR per
kilogramme;
8.2 for the year 2023, 0.399 SDR per item and 3.114 SDR per
kilogramme;
8.3 for the year 2024, 0.419 SDR per item and 3.270 SDR per
kilogramme;
8.4 for the year 2025, 0.440 SDR per item and 3.434 SDR per
kilogramme.
9 The rates applied for flows between countries in the target
system prior to 2010 for bulky (E) and small packet (E)
letter-post items may not be higher than:
9.1 for the year 2022, 0.864 SDR per item and 1.942 SDR per
kilogramme;
9.2 for the year 2023, 0.950 SDR per item and 2.136 SDR per
kilogramme;
9.3 for the year 2024, 1.045 SDR per item and 2.350 SDR per
kilogramme;
9.4 for the year 2025, 1.150 SDR per item and 2.585 SDR per
kilogramme.
10 The rates applied for flows between countries in the target
system for small (P) and for large (G) letter-post items may not
be lower than:
10.1 for the year 2022, 0.272 SDR per item and 2.121 SDR per
kilogramme;
10.2 for the year 2023, 0.292 SDR per item and 2.280 SDR per
kilogramme;
10.3 for the year 2024, 0.314 SDR per item and 2.451 SDR per
kilogramme;
10.4 for the year 2025, 0.330 SDR per item and 2.574 SDR per
kilogramme.
11 The rates applied for flows between countries in the target
system for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items may
not be lower than:
11.1 for the year 2022, 0.677 SDR per item and 1.523 SDR per
kilogramme;
11.2 for the year 2023, 0.711 SDR per item and 1.599 SDR per
kilogramme;
11.3 for the year 2024, 0.747 SDR per item and 1.679 SDR per
kilogramme;
11.4 for the year 2025, 0.784 SDR per item and 1.763 SDR per
kilogramme.
12 The rates applied for flows between countries in the target
system as from 2010 and 2012 as well as between these countries
and countries in the target system prior to 2010 for small (P)
and for large (G) letterpost items may not be higher than:
12.1 for the year 2022, 0.342 SDR per item and 2.672 SDR per
kilogramme;
12.2 for the year 2023, 0.372 SDR per item and 2.905 SDR per
kilogramme;
12.3 for the year 2024, 0.404 SDR per item and 3.158 SDR per
kilogramme;
12.4 for the year 2025, 0.440 SDR per item and 3.434 SDR per
kilogramme.
13 The rates applied for flows between countries in the target
system as from 2016 as well as between these countries and
countries in the target system prior to 2010 or as from 2010 and
2012 for small (P) and for large (G) letter-post items may not be
higher than:
13.1 for the year 2022, 0.313 SDR per item and 2.443 SDR per
kilogramme;
13.2 for the year 2023, 0.351 SDR per item and 2.738 SDR per
kilogramme;
13.3 for the year 2024, 0.393 SDR per item and 3.068 SDR per
kilogramme;
13.4 for the year 2025, 0.440 SDR per item and 3.434 SDR per
kilogramme.
14 For flows below 50 tonnes a year between countries that
joined the target system in 2010, 2012 and 2016, as well as
between these countries and countries that were in the target
system prior to 2010, the per-kilogramme and per-item components
shall be converted into a total rate per kilogramme on the basis
of a worldwide average composition of one kilogramme of mail in
which P and G format items account for 3.97 items weighing 0.14
kilogrammes and E format items account for 5.45 items weighing
0.86 kilogrammes.
15 The terminal dues rates applicable to bulky (E) and small
packet (E) letter-post items that have been self-declared
pursuant to article 29 shall substitute the rates pertaining to
bulky (E) and small packet (E) letterpost items in this article;
consequently, the provisions laid down in paragraphs 7, 9, and 11
shall not apply.
16 The payment for bulk mail sent to countries in the target
system prior to 2010 shall be established by applying the rates
per item and per kilogramme provided for in paragraphs 5 to 11 or
article 29, as appropriate.
17 The payment for bulk mail sent to countries in the target
system as from 2010, 2012 and 2016 shall be established by
applying the rates per item and per kilogramme provided for in
paragraphs 5 and 10 to 13 or article 29, as appropriate.
18 No reservations may be made to this article.
Article 31
Terminal dues. Provisions applicable to mail flows to, from and
between designated operators of countries in the transitional
system
1 In preparation for the entry into the target system of the
designated operators of countries in the terminal dues
transitional system, payment for letter-post items, including
bulk mail but excluding M bags and IBRS items, shall be
established on the basis of a rate per item and a rate per
kilogramme.
2 Other than for the terminal dues rates applicable to bulky
(E) and small packet (E) letter-post items that have been
self-declared pursuant to article 29, the provisions of article
30, paragraphs 1 to 3, 9 and 10, shall apply for the calculation
of rates per item and per kilogramme applicable to small (P),
large (G), bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items.
3 The rates applied for flows to, from and between countries
in the transitional system in a given year shall not lead to an
increase of more than 15.5% in the terminal dues revenue for a
letter-post item in the P/G format of 37.6 grammes, and more than
13% in the terminal dues revenue for a letter-post item in the E
format of 375 grammes, compared to the previous year.
4 Payment for IBRS items shall be as described in the
Regulations.
5 The rates applied for flows to, from and between countries
in the transitional system for small (P) and for large (G)
letter-post items may not be higher than:
5.1 for the year 2022, 0.285 SDR per item and 2.227 SDR per
kilogramme;
5.2 for the year 2023, 0.329 SDR per item and 2.573 SDR per
kilogramme;
5.3 for the year 2024, 0.380 SDR per item and 2.973 SDR per
kilogramme;
5.4 for the year 2025, 0.440 SDR per item and 3.434 SDR per
kilogramme.
6 The rates applied for flows to, from and between countries
in the transitional system for small (P) and for large (G)
letter-post items may not be lower than:
6.1 for the year 2022, 0.272 SDR per item and 2.121 SDR per
kilogramme;
6.2 for the year 2023, 0.292 SDR per item and 2.280 SDR per
kilogramme;
6.3 for the year 2024, 0.314 SDR per item and 2.451 SDR per
kilogramme;
6.4 for the year 2025, 0.330 SDR per item and 2.574 SDR per
kilogramme.
7 Other than for the terminal dues rates applicable to bulky
(E) and small packet (E) letter-post items that have been
self-declared pursuant to article 29 and in accordance with 2
above, the rates applied for flows to, from and between countries
in the transitional system for bulky (E) and small packet (E)
letter-post items may not be higher than:
7.1 for the year 2022, 0.864 SDR per item and 1.942 SDR per
kilogramme;
7.2 for the year 2023, 0.950 SDR per item and 2.136 SDR per
kilogramme;
7.3 for the year 2024, 1.045 SDR per item and 2.350 SDR per
kilogramme;
7.4 for the year 2025, 1.150 SDR per item and 2.585 SDR per
kilogramme.
8 Other than for the terminal dues rates applicable to bulky
(E) and small packet (E) letter-post items that have been
self-declared pursuant to article 29 and in accordance with 2
above, the rates applied for flows to, from and between countries
in the transitional system for bulky (E) and small packet (E)
letter-post items may not be lower than:
8.1 for the year 2022, 0.677 SDR per item and 1.523 SDR per
kilogramme;
8.2 for the year 2023, 0.711 SDR per item and 1.599 SDR per
kilogramme;
8.3 f or the year 2024, 0.747 SDR per item and 1.679 SDR per
kilogramme;
8.4 for the year 2025, 0.784 SDR per item and 1.763 SDR per
kilogramme.
9 Other than for the terminal dues rates applicable to bulky
(E) and small packet (E) letter-post items that have been
self-declared pursuant to article 29, the per-kilogramme and
per-item components shall be converted into a total rate per
kilogramme on the basis of a worldwide average composition of one
kilogramme of mail as follows:
9.1 for the year 2022, not lower than 6.376 SDR per kilogramme
and not higher than 7.822 SDR per kilogramme;
9.2 for the year 2023, not lower than 6.729 SDR per kilogramme
and not higher than 8.681 SDR per kilogramme;
9.3 for the year 2024, not lower than 7.105 SDR per kilogramme
and not higher than 9.641 SDR per kilogramme;
9.4 for the year 2025, not lower than 7.459 SDR per kilogramme
and not higher than 10.718 SDR per kilogramme.
10 Other than for the terminal dues rates applicable to bulky
(E) and small packet (E) letter-post items that have been
self-declared pursuant to article 29, the flat rate per
kilogramme shall be applied if neither the designated operator of
origin nor the designated operator of destination requests the
revision mechanism in order to revise the rate on the basis of
the actual number of items per kilogramme, rather than the
worldwide average. The sampling for the revision mechanism shall
be applied in accordance with the conditions specified in the
Regulations.
11 For mail flows from and between countries in the
transitional system below 100 tonnes, the total rate per
kilogramme shall be as follows:
11.1 for the year 2022, 6.376 SDR per kilogramme;
11.2 for the year 2023, 6.729 SDR per kilogramme;
11.3 for the year 2024, 7.105 SDR per kilogramme;
11.4 for the year 2025, 7.459 SDR per kilogramme.
12 For mail flows from countries in the target system to
countries in the transitional system below 100 tonnes a year
where terminal dues rates applicable to bulky (E) and small
packet (E) letter-post items have been self-declared pursuant to
article 29, the per-kilogramme and per-item components shall be
converted into a total rate per kilogramme on the basis of a
worldwide average composition of one kilogramme of mail, as
referred to in article 30.14, except for the flows in 29.1.5 of
50 tonnes and above where the country in the transitional system
samples its inbound flow.
13 For mail flows to, from and between countries in the
transitional system above 100 tonnes where terminal dues rates
applicable to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items
have been self-declared pursuant to article 29 and where the
country of destination decides not to sample the inbound mail,
the per-kilogramme and per-item components shall be converted
into a total rate per kilogramme on the basis of a worldwide
average composition of one kilogramme of mail, as referred to in
article 30.14.
14 Except for the mail flows described in paragraph 12, the
terminal dues rates applicable to bulky (E) and small packet (E)
letter-post items that have been self-declared pursuant to
article 29 shall substitute the rates pertaining to bulky (E) and
small packet (E) letter-post items in this article; consequently,
the provisions laid down in paragraphs 7, 8, and 10 shall not
apply.
15 The downward revision of the total rate in paragraph 10 may
not be invoked by a country in the target system against a
country in the transitional system unless the latter asks for a
revision in the opposite direction.
16 For mail flows to, from and between countries in the
transitional system that are below 100 tonnes per year,
designated operators may send and receive format-separated mail
on an optional basis, in accordance with the conditions specified
in the Regulations. In the case of format-separated exchanges the
rates in paragraphs 5, 6, 7 and 8 above shall apply if the
designated operator of destination opts not to self-declare rates
pursuant to article 29.
17 The payment for bulk mail to designated operators of
countries in the target system shall be established by applying
the rates per item and per kilogramme provided for in article 29
or 30. For bulk mail received, designated operators in the
transitional system may request payment according to paragraphs
5, 6, 7 and 8 above and article 29, as appropriate.
18 No reservations may be made to this article.
Article 32
Quality of Service Fund
1 Terminal dues payable by all countries and territories to
the countries classified as least developed countries and
included in group IV for terminal dues and Quality of Service
Fund (QSF) purposes, except for M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail
items, shall be increased by 20% of the rates provided for in
article 29 or 31 for payment into the QSF for improving the
quality of service in those countries. There shall be no such
payment from one group IV country to another group IV
country.
2 Terminal dues, except for M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail
items, payable by countries and territories classified as group I
countries to the countries classified as group IV countries,
other than the least developed countries referred to in paragraph
1 of this article, shall be increased by 10% of the rates
provided for in article 29 or 31, for payment into the QSF for
improving the quality of service in those countries.
3 Terminal dues, except for M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail
items, payable by countries and territories classified as group
II countries to the countries classified as group IV countries,
other than the least developed countries referred to in paragraph
1 of this article, shall be increased by 10% of the rates
provided for in article29 or 31, for payment into the QSF for
improving the quality of service in those countries.
4 Terminal dues, except in respect of M bags, IBRS items and
bulk mail items, payable by countries and territories classified
as group III countries to the countries classified as group IV
countries, other than the least developed countries referred to
in paragraph 1 of this article, shall be increased by 5% of the
rates provided for in article 29 or 31, for payment into the QSF
for improving the quality of service in those countries.
5 An increase of 1%, calculated on the basis of terminal dues
payable by countries and territories classified as group I, II
and III countries to the countries classified as group III
countries, except in respect of M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail
items, shall be paid into a common fund to be established for
improving the quality of service in countries classified in
groups II, III and IV and managed in accordance with the relevant
procedures set by the Postal Operations Council.
6 An increase of 0.5%, calculated on the basis of terminal
dues payable by countries and territories classified as group I,
II and III countries to the countries classified as group III
countries, except in respect of M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail
items, shall be paid into a special account to be established as
part of the common fund referred to in paragraph 5, specifically
for improving the quality of service in group IV countries
classified by the United Nations as least developed countries and
managed in accordance with the relevant procedures set by the
Postal Operations Council.
7 Subject to the relevant procedures set by the Postal
Operations Council, any unused amounts contributed under
paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of this article and accumulated over the
four preceding QSF reference years (with 2018 as the earliest
reference year) shall also be transferred to the common fund
referred to in paragraph 5 of this article. For the purposes of
this paragraph, only funds that have not been used in QSF
approved quality of service projects within two years following
receipt of the last payment of contributed amounts for any given
four-year period as defined above shall be transferred to the
aforementioned common fund.
8 The combined terminal dues payable into the QSF for
improving the quality of service of countries in group IV shall
be subject to a minimum of 20,000 SDR per annum for each
beneficiary country. The additional funds needed for reaching
this minimum amount shall be invoiced, in proportion to the
volumes exchanged, to the countries in groups I, II and III.
9 The Postal Operations Council shall adopt or update, by
December 2021 at the latest, procedures for financing QSF
projects.
C. Rates for
parcel post
Article 33
Parcel post land and sea rates
1 With the exception of ECOMPRO parcels, parcels exchanged
between two designated operators shall be subject to inward land
rates calculated by combining the base rate per parcel and base
rate per kilogramme laid down in the Regulations.
1.1 Bearing in mind the above base rates, designated operators
may, in addition, be authorized to claim supplementary rates per
parcel and per kilogramme in accordance with provisions laid down
in the Regulations.
1.2 The rates mentioned in 1 and 1.1 shall be payable by the
designated operator of the country of origin, unless the
Regulations provide for exceptions to this principle.
1.3 The inward land rates shall be uniform for the whole of
the territory of each country.
2 Parcels exchanged between two designated operators or
between two offices of the same country by means of the land
services of one or more other designated operators shall be
subject to the transit land rates, payable to the designated
operators which take part in the routeing on land, laid down in
the Regulations, according to the distance step applicable.
2.1 For parcels in transit à découvert, intermediate
designated operators shall be authorized to claim the single rate
per item laid down in the Regulations.
2.2 Transit land rates shall be payable by the designated
operator of the country of origin unless the Regulations provide
for exceptions to this principle.
3 Any designated operator which participates in the sea
conveyance of parcels shall be authorized to claim sea rates.
These rates shall be payable by the designated operator of the
country of origin, unless the Regulations provide for exceptions
to this principle.
3.1 For each sea conveyance used, the sea rate shall be laid
down in the Regulations according to the distance step
applicable.
3.2 Designated operators may increase by 50% at most the sea
rate calculated in accordance with 3.1. On the other hand, they
may reduce it as they wish.
D. Air
conveyance dues
Article 34
Basic rates and provisions concerning air conveyance dues
1 The basic rate applicable to the settlement of accounts
between designated operators in respect of air conveyance shall
be approved by the Postal Operations Council and shall be
calculated by the International Bureau according to the formula
specified in the Regulations. The rates applying to the air
conveyance of parcels sent via the merchandise return service
shall be calculated according to the provisions defined in the
Regulations.
2 The calculation of air conveyance dues on closed dispatches,
priority items, airmail items and air parcels sent in transit à
découvert, missent items and misrouted mails, as well as the
relevant methods of accounting, are described in the
Regulations.
3 The air conveyance dues for the whole distance flown shall
be borne:
3.1 in the case of closed mails, by the designated operator of
the country of origin of the mails, including when these mails
transit via one or more intermediate designated operators;
3.2 in the case of priority items and airmail items in transit
à découvert, including missent items, by the designated operator
which forwards the items to another designated operator.
4 These same regulations shall be applicable to items exempted
from land and sea transit charges if they are conveyed by
air.
5 Each designated operator of destination which provides air
conveyance of international mail within its country shall be
entitled to reimbursement of the additional costs incurred for
such conveyance provided that the weighted average distance of
the sectors flown exceeds 300 kilometres. The Postal Operations
Council may replace the weighted average distance by other
relevant criteria. Unless agreement has been reached that no
charge should be made, the dues shall be uniform for all priority
mails and airmails originating abroad whether or not this mail is
reforwarded by air.
6 However, where the terminal dues levied by the designated
operator of destination are based specifically on costs, domestic
rates or self-declared rates set under article 29, no additional
reimbursement for internal air conveyance shall be made.
7 The designated operator of destination shall exclude, for
the purpose of calculating the weighted average distance, the
weight of all mails for which the terminal dues calculation has
been based specifically on costs, domestic rates or self-declared
rates set under article 29 of the designated operator of
destination.
E. Settlement of
accounts
Article 35
Provisions specific to the settlement of accounts and payments
for international postal exchanges
1 Settlements and payments in respect of operations carried
out in accordance with the present Convention (including
settlements and payments for the transport (forwarding) of postal
items, settlements and payments for the treatment of postal items
in the country of destination and settlements and payments in
compensation for any loss, theft or damage relating to postal
items) shall be based on and made in accordance with the
provisions of the Convention and other Acts of the Union, and
shall not require the preparation of any documents by a
designated operator except in cases provided for in the Acts of
the Union.
2 In order to ensure the provision of the universal postal
service, as set forth in article 3, and the integrity of the
international postal network, designated operators shall make
payments for operations carried out in accordance with the
Convention.
F. Fixing of
charges and rates
Article 36
Authority of the Postal Operations Council to fix charges and
rates
1 The Postal Operations Council shall have the authority to
fix the following rates and charges, which are payable by
designated operators in accordance with the conditions shown in
the Regulations:
1.1 transit charges for the handling and conveyance of letter
mails through one or more intermediary countries;
1.2 basic rates and air conveyance dues for the carriage of
mail by air;
1.3 inward land rates for the handling of all inward parcels
except ECOMPRO parcels;
1.4 transit land rates for the handling and conveyance of
parcels through an intermediary country;
1.5 sea rates for the conveyance of parcels by sea.
1.6 outward land rates for the provision of the merchandise
return service for parcels.
2 Any revision made, in accordance with a methodology that
ensures equitable remuneration for designated operators
performing the services, must be based on reliable and
representative economic and financial data. Any change decided
upon shall enter into force at a date set by the Postal
Operations Council.
Section
VIII
Optional services
Article 37
EMS and integrated logistics
1 Member countries or designated operators may agree with each
other to participate in the following services, which are
described in the Regulations:
1.1 EMS, which is a postal express service for documents and
merchandise, and shall whenever possible be the quickest postal
service by physical means. This service may be provided on the
basis of the EMS Standard Multilateral Agreement or by bilateral
agreement;
1.2 integrated logistics, which is a service that responds
fully to customers' logistical requirements and includes the
phases before and after the physical transmission of goods and
documents.
Article 38
Electronic postal services
1 Member countries or designated operators may agree with each
other to participate in the following electronic postal services,
which are described in the Regulations:
1.1 electronic postal mail, which is an electronic postal
service involving the transmission of electronic messages and
information by designated operators;
1.2 electronic postal registered mail, which is a secure
electronic postal service that provides proof of sending and
proof of delivery of an electronic message and a secure
communication channel to the authenticated users;
1.3 electronic postal certification mark, which provides
evidentiary proof of an electronic event, in a given form, at a
given time, and involving one or more parties;
1.4 electronic postal mailbox, which enables the sending of
electronic messages by an authenticated mailer and the delivery
and storage of electronic messages and information for the
authenticated addressee.
Section IX
Final provisions
Article 39
Conditions for approval of proposals concerning the Convention
and the Regulations
1 To become effective, proposals submitted to Congress
relating to this Convention must be approved by a majority of the
member countries present and voting which have the right to vote.
At least half of the member countries represented at Congress and
having the right to vote shall be present at the time of
voting.
2 To become effective, proposals relating to the Regulations
must be approved by a majority of the members of the Postal
Operations Council having the right to vote.
3 To become effective, proposals introduced between Congresses
relating to this Convention and to its Final Protocol must
obtain:
3.1 two thirds of the votes, at least one half of the member
countries of the Union which have the right to vote having taken
part in the vote, if they involve amendments;
3.2 a majority of the votes if they involve interpretation of
the provisions.
4 Any member country may no later than ninety days from the
date of notification of an amendment adopted under 3.1, propose a
reservation to that same amendment, subject by analogy to the
same approval conditions as set out under 3.1 and the relevant
provisions of article 40.
Article 40
Reservations at Congress
1 Any reservation which is incompatible with the object and
purpose of the Union shall not be permitted.
2 As a general rule, any member country whose views are not
shared by other member countries shall endeavour, as far as
possible, to conform to the opinion of the majority. Reservations
should be made only in cases of absolute necessity, and proper
reasons given.
3 Reservations to any article of the present Convention shall
be submitted to Congress as a Congress proposal written in one of
the working languages of the International Bureau and in
accordance with the relevant provisions of the Rules of Procedure
of Congresses.
4 To become effective, proposals concerning reservations must
be approved by whatever majority is required for amendment of the
article to which the reservation relates.
5 In principle, reservations shall be applied on a reciprocal
basis between the reserving member country and the other member
countries.
6 Reservations to the present Convention shall be inserted in
the Final Protocol to the present Convention, on the basis of
proposals approved by Congress.
Article 41
Entry into force and duration of the Convention
1 This Convention shall come into force on 1 July 2022 (with
the exception of all the provisions contained in section VII,
"Remuneration", which shall come into force on 1
January 2022), and shall remain in operation for an indefinite
period.
In witness whereof the plenipotentiaries of the Governments of
the member countries have signed this Convention in a single
original which shall be deposited with the Director General of
the International Bureau. A copy thereof shall be delivered to
each member country by the International Bureau of the Universal
Postal Union.
Done at Abidjan, 26 August 2021
1 An exception shall be granted to the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the country
which invented the postage stamp.
Final Protocol to the Universal
Postal Convention
Article
I. Ownership of postal items. Withdrawal from the post.
Alteration or correction of address
II. Postage stamps
III. Posting abroad of letter-post items
IV. Charges
V. Exception to the exemption of items for the blind from
postal charges
VI. Basic services
VII. Advice of delivery
VIII. Prohibitions (letter post)
IX. Prohibitions (postal parcels)
X. Articles subject to customs duty
XI. Presentation-to-Customs charge
XII. Inquiries
XIII. Exceptional inward land rates
XIV. Basic rates and provisions concerning air conveyance
dues
XV. Special tariffs
XVI. Authority of the Postal Operations Council to fix charges
and rates
Final Protocol to the Universal
Postal Convention
At the moment of proceeding to signature of the Universal
Postal Convention concluded this day, the undersigned
plenipotentiaries have agreed the following:
Article I
Ownership of postal items. Withdrawal from the post. Alteration
or correction of address
1 The provisions in article 5.1 and 2 shall not apply to
Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain (Kingdom), Barbados, Belize,
Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Hong Kong, China, Dominica,
Egypt, Fiji, Gambia, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland, Overseas Dependent Territories of the United Kingdom,
Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait,
Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nauru, New Zealand,
Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, Tanzania
(United Rep.), Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu and
Zambia.
2 Nor shall article 5.1 and 2 apply to Austria, Denmark and
Iran (Islamic Rep.), whose internal legislation does not allow
withdrawal from the Post or alteration of the address of
correspondence, at the request of the sender, from the time when
the addressee has been informed of the arrival of an item
addressed to him.
3 Article 5.1 shall not apply to Australia, Ghana and
Zimbabwe.
4 Article 5.2 shall not apply to Bahamas, Belgium, the Dem.
People's Rep. of Korea, Iraq and Myanmar, whose legislation does
not permit withdrawal from the post or alteration of address of
letter-post items at the sender's request.
5 Article 5.2 shall not apply to the United States of
America.
6 Article 5.2 shall apply to Australia only in so far as that
article is consistent with its domestic legislation.
7 Notwithstanding article 5.2, Dem. Rep. of the Congo, El
Salvador, Panama (Rep.), Philippines and Venezuela (Bolivarian
Rep.) shall be authorized not to return postal parcels after the
addressee has requested their clearance by Customs, since this is
incompatible with those countries' customs legislation.
Article II
Postage stamps
1 Notwithstanding article 6.7, Australia, the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Malaysia and New Zealand
will process letter-post items and postal parcels bearing postage
stamps using new materials or technologies that are not
compatible with their respective mail processing machines only
upon prior agreement with the designated operator of origin
concerned.
Article
III
Posting abroad of letter-post items
1 Australia, Austria, United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, Greece, New Zealand and United States of
America reserve the right to impose a charge, equivalent to the
cost of the work it incurs, on any designated operator which,
under the provisions of article 12.4, sends to it items for
disposal which were not originally dispatched as postal items by
their services.
2 Notwithstanding article 12.4, Canada reserves the right to
collect from the designated operator of origin such amount as
will ensure recovery of not less than the costs incurred by it in
the handling of such items.
3 Article 12.4 allows the designated operator of destination
to claim, from the designated operator of posting, appropriate
remuneration for delivering letter-post items posted abroad in
large quantities. Australia and the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland reserve the right to limit any such
payment to the appropriate domestic tariff for equivalent items
in the country of destination.
4 Article 12.4 allows the designated operator of destination
to claim, from the designated operator of posting, appropriate
remuneration for delivering letter-post items posted abroad in
large quantities. The following member countries reserve the
right to limit any such payment to the limits authorized in the
Regulations for bulk mail: Bahamas, Barbados, Brunei Darussalam,
China (People's Rep.), United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, Overseas Dependent Territories of the United
Kingdom, Grenada, Guyana, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands,
Netherlands Antilles and Aruba, New Zealand, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname,
Thailand and United States of America.
5 Notwithstanding the reservations under 4, the following
member countries reserve the right to apply in full the
provisions of article 12 of the Convention to mail received from
Union member countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon,
Canada, Côte d'Ivoire (Rep.), Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, France,
Germany, Greece, Guinea, Iran (Islamic Rep.), Israel, Italy,
Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Mali, Mauritania, Monaco,
Morocco, Norway, Pakistan, Portugal, Russian Federation, Saudi
Arabia, Senegal, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Rep., Togo and
Turkey.
6 In application of article 12.4, Germany reserves the right
to request the mailing country to grant compensation of the
amount it would receive from the country of which the sender is
resident.
7 Notwithstanding the reservations made under article III,
China (People's Rep.) reserves the right to limit any payment for
delivering letter-post items posted abroad in large quantities to
the limits authorized in the UPU Convention and its Regulations
for bulk mail.
8 Notwithstanding article 12.3, Austria, Belgium, Germany, the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
Liechtenstein and Switzerland reserve the right to claim from the
sender or, failing that, from the designated operator of posting,
the payment of the internal rates.
Article IV
Charges
1 Notwithstanding article 15, Australia, Belarus, Canada,
Finland and New Zealand shall be authorized to collect postal
charges other than those provided for in the Regulations, when
such charges are consistent with the legislation of their
countries.
2 Notwithstanding article 15, Brazil shall be authorized to
collect an additional fee from the addressees of ordinary items
containing merchandise that had to be converted to tracked items
as a result of customs and security requirements.
Article V
Exception to the exemption of items for the blind from postal
charges
1 Notwithstanding article 16, Indonesia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines and Turkey, which do not concede exemption from postal
charges to items for the blind in their internal service, may
collect the postage and charges for special services which may
not, however, exceed those in their internal service.
2 France shall apply the provisions of article 16 concerning
items for the blind subject to its national regulations.
3 Notwithstanding article 16.3, and in accordance with its
national legislation, Brazil reserves the right to consider as
items for the blind only those items which are sent by or
addressed to blind persons or organizations for the blind. Items
not satisfying these conditions shall be subject to payment of
postage.
4 Notwithstanding article 16, New Zealand will accept as items
for the blind for delivery in New Zealand only those items that
are exempted from postal charges in its domestic service.
5 Notwithstanding article 16, Finland, which does not provide
exemption from postal charges for items for the blind in its
domestic service according to the definitions in article 16
adopted by Congress, may collect the domestic charges for items
for the blind destined for other countries.
6 Notwithstanding article 16, Canada, Denmark and Sweden allow
exemption from postal charges for the blind only to the extent
provided for in their internal legislation.
7 Notwithstanding article 16, Iceland accepts exemption from
postal charges for the blind only to the extent provided for in
its internal legislation.
8 Notwithstanding article 16, Australia will accept as items
for the blind for delivery in Australia only those items that are
exempted from postal charges in its domestic service.
9 Notwithstanding article 16, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
Canada, Germany, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland, Japan, Switzerland and United States of America may
collect the charges for special services which are applied items
for the blind in their internal service.
Article VI
Basic services
1 Notwithstanding the provisions of article 17, Australia does
not agree to the extension of basic services to include postal
parcels.
2 The provisions of article 17.2.4 shall not apply to the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, whose
national legislation requires a lower weight limit. Health and
safety legislation in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland limits the weight of mail bags to 20
kilogrammes.
3 Notwithstanding article 17.2.4, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan shall be authorized to limit to 20
kilogrammes the maximum weight of inward and outward M bags.
4 Notwithstanding article 17, Iceland accepts items for the
blind only to the extent provided for in its internal
legislation.
Article
VII
Advice of delivery
1 Belgium, Canada and Sweden shall be authorized not to apply
article 18.3.3, as regards parcels, given that they do not offer
the advice of delivery service for parcels in their internal
service.
2 Notwithstanding article 18.3.3, Denmark and the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland reserve the right
not to admit inward advices of delivery, given that they do not
offer advice of delivery in their internal service.
3 Notwithstanding article 18.3.3, Brazil shall be authorized
to admit inward advices of delivery only when they can be
returned electronically.
Article
VIII
Prohibitions (letter post)
1 Exceptionally, Dem. People's Rep. of Korea and Lebanon shall
not accept registered items containing coins, bank notes,
securities of any kind payable to bearer, travellers' cheques,
platinum, gold or silver whether manufactured or not, precious
stones, jewels or other valuable articles. They shall not be
strictly bound by the provisions of the Regulations with regard
to their liability in cases of theft or damage, or where items
containing articles made of glass or fragile articles are
concerned.
2 Exceptionally, Bolivia, China (People's Rep.), excluding
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Iraq, Nepal, Pakistan,
Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Viet Nam shall not accept registered
items containing coins, bank notes, currency notes or securities
of any kind payable to bearer, travellers' cheques, platinum,
gold or silver whether manufactured or not, precious stones,
jewels or other valuable articles.
3 Myanmar reserves the right not to accept insured items
containing the valuable articles listed in article 19.6, as this
is contrary to its internal regulations.
4 Nepal does not accept registered items or insured items
containing currency notes or coins, except by special agreement
to that effect.
5 Uzbekistan does not accept registered or insured items
containing coins, bank notes, cheques, postage stamps or foreign
currency and shall accept no liability in cases of loss of or
damage to such items.
6 Iran (Islamic Rep.) does not accept items containing
articles contrary to the principles of the Islamic religion, and
reserves the right not to accept letter-post items (ordinary,
registered or insured) containing coins, bank notes, travellers'
cheques, platinum, gold or silver, whether manufactured or not,
precious stones, jewels or other valuable articles, and shall
accept no liability in cases of loss or damage to such items.
7 The Philippines reserves the right not to accept any kind of
letter post (ordinary, registered or insured) containing coins,
currency notes or securities of any kind payable to bearer,
travellers' cheques, platinum, gold or silver, whether
manufactured or not, precious stones or other valuable
articles.
8 Australia does not accept postal items of any kind
containing bullion or bank notes. In addition, it does not accept
registered items for delivery in Australia, or items in transit à
découvert, containing valuables such as jewellery, precious
metals, precious or semi-precious stones, securities, coins or
any form of negotiable financial instrument. It declines all
liability for items posted which are not in compliance with this
reservation.
9 China (People's Rep.), excluding Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region, shall not accept insured items containing
coins, bank notes, currency notes or securities of any kind
payable to bearer and travellers' cheques in accordance with its
internal regulations.
10 Latvia and Mongolia reserve the right not to accept, in
accordance with their national legislation, ordinary, registered
or insured mail containing coins, bank notes, securities payable
to bearer and travellers' cheques.
11 Brazil reserves the right not to accept ordinary,
registered or insured mail containing coins, bank notes in
circulation or securities of any kind payable to bearer.
12 Viet Nam reserves the right not to accept letters
containing articles or goods.
13 Indonesia does not accept registered or insured items
containing coins, bank notes, cheques, postage stamps, foreign
currency, or any kind of securities payable to bearer for
delivery in Indonesia, and shall accept no liability in cases of
loss of or damage to such items.
14 Kyrgyzstan reserves the right not to accept letter-post
items (ordinary, registered, insured, small packets) containing
coins, currency notes or securities of any kind payable to
bearer, travellers' cheques, platinum, gold or silver, whether
manufactured or not, precious stones, jewels or other valuable
articles, and shall accept no liability in cases of loss of or
damage to such items.
15 Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan shall not accept registered or
insured items containing coins, banknotes, credit notes or any
securities payable to bearer, cheques, precious metals, whether
manufactured or not, precious stones, jewels and other valuable
articles or foreign currency, and shall accept no liability in
cases of loss of or damage to such items.
16 Moldova and the Russian Federation do not accept registered
or insured items containing bank notes in circulation, securities
(cheques) of any kind payable to bearer or foreign currency, and
shall accept no liability in cases of loss of or damage to such
items.
17 Notwithstanding article 19.3, France reserves the right not
to accept items containing goods in cases where these items do
not comply with its national regulations, or international
regulations, or technical and packing instructions for air
transport.
18 Cuba reserves the right not to accept, handle, convey or
deliver letter-post items containing coins, banknotes, currency
notes or securities of any kind payable to bearer, cheques,
precious metals and stones, jewels or other valuable articles, or
any kind of document, goods or object in cases where these items
do not comply with its national regulations, or international
regulations, or technical and packing instructions for air
transport, and shall accept no liability in cases of theft, loss
or damage to such items. Cuba reserves the right not to accept
letter-post items subject to customs duty containing goods that
are imported to the country if their value does not comply with
its national regulations.
Article IX
Prohibitions (postal parcels)
1 Myanmar and Zambia shall be authorized not to accept insured
parcels containing the valuable articles covered in article
19.6.1.3.1, since this is contrary to their internal
regulations.
2 Exceptionally, Lebanon and Sudan shall not accept parcels
containing coins, currency notes or securities of any kind
payable to bearer, travellers' cheques, platinum, gold or silver,
whether manufactured or not, precious stones or other valuable
articles, or containing liquids or easily liquefiable elements or
articles made of glass or similar or fragile articles. They shall
not be bound by the relevant provisions of the Regulations.
3 Brazil shall be authorized not to accept insured parcels
containing coins and currency notes in circulation, as well as
any securities payable to bearer, since this is contrary to its
internal regulations.
4 Ghana shall be authorized not to accept insured parcels
containing coins and currency notes in circulation, since this is
contrary to its internal regulations.
5 In addition to the articles listed in article 9, Saudi
Arabia shall be authorized not to accept parcels containing
coins, currency notes or securities of any kind payable to
bearer, travellers' cheques, platinum, gold or silver, whether
manufactured or not, precious stones or other valuable articles.
Nor does it accept parcels containing medicines of any kind
unless they are accompanied by a medical prescription issued by a
competent official authority, products designed for extinguishing
fires, chemical liquids or articles contrary to the principles of
the Islamic religion.
6 In addition to the articles referred to in article 19, Oman
does not accept items containing:
6.1 medicines of any sort unless they are accompanied by a
medical prescription issued by a competent official
authority;
6.2 fire-extinguishing products or chemical liquids;
6.3 articles contrary to the principles of the Islamic
religion.
7 In addition to the articles listed in article 19, Iran
(Islamic Rep.) shall be authorized not to accept parcels
containing articles contrary to the principles of the Islamic
religion, and reserves the right not to accept ordinary or
insured parcels containing coins, bank notes, travellers'
cheques, platinum, gold or silver, whether manufactured or not,
precious stones, jewels or other valuable articles; it shall
accept no liability in cases of loss or damage to such items.
8 The Philippines shall be authorized not to accept any kind
of parcel containing coins, currency notes or securities of any
kind payable to bearer, travellers' cheques, platinum, gold or
silver, whether manufactured or not, precious stones or other
valuable articles, or containing liquids or easily liquefiable
elements or articles made of glass or similar or fragile
articles.
9 Australia does not accept postal items of any kind
containing bullion or bank notes.
10 China (People's Rep.) shall not accept ordinary parcels
containing coins, currency notes or securities of any kind
payable to bearer, travellers' cheques, platinum, gold or silver,
whether manufactured or not, precious stones or other valuable
articles. Furthermore, with the exception of the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region, insured parcels containing coins,
currency notes or securities of any kind payable to bearer and
travellers' cheques shall not be accepted.
11 Mongolia reserves the right not to accept, in accordance
with its national legislation, parcels containing coins, bank
notes, securities payable to bearer and travellers' cheques.
12 Latvia does not accept ordinary and insured parcels
containing coins, bank notes, securities (cheques) of any kind
payable to bearer or foreign currency, and shall accept no
liability in cases of loss of or damage to such items.
13 Moldova, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Uzbekistan do
not accept ordinary or insured parcels containing bank notes in
circulation, securities (cheques) of any kind payable to bearer
or foreign currency, and shall accept no liability in cases of
loss of or damage to such items.
14 Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan do not accept ordinary or insured
parcels containing coins, bank notes, credit notes or any
securities payable to bearer, cheques, precious metals, whether
manufactured or not, precious stones, jewels and other valuable
articles or foreign currency, and shall accept no liability in
cases of loss of or damage to such items.
15 Cuba reserves the right not to accept, handle, convey or
deliver postal parcels containing coins, banknotes, currency
notes or securities of any kind payable to bearer, cheques,
precious metals and stones, jewels or other valuable articles, or
any kind of document, goods or object in cases where these items
do not comply with its national regulations, or international
regulations, or technical and packing instructions for air
transport, and shall accept no liability in cases of theft, loss
or damage to such items. Cuba reserves the right not to accept
postal parcels subject to customs duty containing goods that are
imported to the country if their value does not comply with its
national regulations.
Article X
Articles subject to customs duty
1 With reference to article 19, Bangladesh and El Salvador do
not accept insured items containing articles subject to customs
duty.
2 With reference to article 19, Afghanistan, Albania,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dem.
People's Rep. of Korea, El Salvador, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Latvia,
Moldova, Nepal, Peru, Russian Federation, San Marino,
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Venezuela (Bolivarian Rep.)
do not accept ordinary and registered letters containing articles
subject to customs duty.
3 With reference to article 19, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte
d'Ivoire (Rep.), Djibouti, Mali and Mauritania do not accept
ordinary letters containing articles subject to customs duty.
4 Notwithstanding the provisions set out under 1 to 3, the
sending of serums, vaccines and urgently required medicaments
which are difficult to procure shall be permitted in all
cases.
Article XI
Presentation-to-Customs charge
1 Gabon reserves the right to collect a
presentation-to-Customs charge from customers.
2 Notwithstanding article 20.2, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Finland, Romania, the Russian Federation
and Spain reserve the right to collect a presentation-to-Customs
charge from customers for any item submitted to customs
control.
3 Notwithstanding article 20.2, Azerbaijan, Greece, Pakistan
and Turkey reserve the right to collect from customers a
presentation-to-Customs charge for all items presented to customs
authorities.
4 Congo (Rep.) and Zambia reserve the right to collect a
presentation-to-Customs charge from customers in respect of
parcels.
Article
XII
Inquiries
1 Notwithstanding article 21.2, Cape Verde, Chad, Dem.
People's Rep. of Korea, Egypt, Gabon, Overseas Dependent
Territories of the United Kingdom, Greece, Iran (Islamic Rep.),
Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Sudan,
Syrian Arab Rep., Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Zambia
reserve the right to collect from customers charges on inquiries
lodged in respect of letter-post items.
2 Notwithstanding article 21.2, Argentina, Austria,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Canada, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania,
Moldova, Norway, Romania and Slovakia reserve the right to
collect a special charge when, on completion of the investigation
conducted in response to the inquiry, it emerges that the latter
was unjustified.
3 Afghanistan, Cape Verde, Congo (Rep.), Egypt, Gabon, Iran
(Islamic Rep.), Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia,
Sudan, Suriname, Syrian Arab Rep., Turkmenistan, Ukraine,
Uzbekistan and Zambia reserve the right to collect an inquiry
charge from customers in respect of parcels.
4 Notwithstanding article 21.2, Brazil, Panama (Rep.) and the
United States of America reserve the right to collect a charge
from customers for inquiries lodged in respect of letter-post
items and parcels posted in countries which apply that type of
charge in accordance with paragraphs 1 to 3 of this article.
Article
XIII
Exceptional inward land rates
1 Notwithstanding article 33, Afghanistan reserves the right
to collect an additional exceptional inward land rate of 7.50 SDR
per parcel.
Article
XIV
Basic rates and provisions concerning air conveyance dues
1 Notwithstanding the provisions of article 34, Australia
reserves the right to apply air conveyance rates for outward
parcels sent via the merchandise return service, either as laid
down in the Regulations or by any other means, including
bilateral agreements.
Article XV
Special tariffs
1 Belgium, Norway and United States of America may collect
higher land rates for air parcels than for surface parcels.
2 Lebanon shall be authorized to collect for parcels up to 1
kilogramme the charge applicable to parcels over 1 and up to 3
kilogrammes.
3 Panama (Rep.) shall be authorized to collect 0.20 SDR per
kilogramme for surface airlifted (S.A.L.) parcels in transit.
Article
XVI
Authority of the Postal Operations Council to fix charges and
rates
1 Notwithstanding article 36.1.6, Australia reserves the right
to apply outward land rates for the provision of the merchandise
return service for parcels, either as laid down in the
Regulations or by any other means, including bilateral
agreements.
In witness whereof, the plenipotentiaries below have drawn up
this Protocol which shall have the same force and the same
validity as if its provisions were inserted in the text of the
Convention 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
member country by the International Bureau of the Universal
Postal Union.
Done at Abidjan, 26 August 2021