[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 101 (Tuesday, May 27, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 28632-28634]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-13683]
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POSTAL SERVICE
39 CFR Part 20
International Mail Special Services
AGENCY: Postal Service.
ACTION: Final rule.
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The Postal Service is modifying the fees for international mail,
special delivery (Express/Expres) and recorded delivery, and is
changing the insurance limits for international insured mail and
Express Mail. These changes are a consequence of the Governors of the
Postal Service to approve the recommended decision of the PRC in docket
number MC96-3.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12:01 a.m., June 8, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be directed to the Manager, Pricing,
Costing, and Classification, Room 370-IBU, International Business Unit,
U.S. Postal Service, Washington, D.C. 20260-6500. Copies of all written
comments will be available for public inspection between 9 a.m. and 4
p.m., Monday through Friday, in the International Business Unit, 901 D
Street S.W., 10th Floor, Washington, D.C.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Walter J. Grandjean, (202) 314-7256.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 7, 1996, the Postal Service filed
with the Postal Rate Commission a Special Services Reform case (MC96-
3). The Postal Rate Commission issued its Opinion and Recommended
Decision on April 2, 1997. This was adopted by the Postal Service Board
of Governors on May 5, 1997.
While the Postal Rate Commission does not recommend international
postage rates and special mail service fees, domestic fees impact the
level of fees and conditions of service for international special mail
services. In general, the Universal Postal Convention (Convention) and
the Postal Parcels Agreement (PPA) fix the maximum fees for special
mail services but allow higher fees based on the fees for comparable
domestic services. Likewise, the Convention and PPA allow a maximum
limit of liability but allow lower limits based on the limit of
liability. In view of the changes for domestic special services, as a
result of the decision in Docket MC96-3, it is necessary to make
changes for international special services.
Accordingly, the Postal Service adopts the following changes in the
conditions of service and fees for international special services:
1. Insured Mail: The limit of indemnity is raised to $5000 unless
the destination country's insurance limit is less. In this case the
lower limit will apply. Table 1 lists limits available to all countries
offering insured parcel post service. The fees are:
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Fee
---------------------------------------
Limit of indemnity All other
Canada countries
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$50............................. $0.75............. $1.60.
$100............................ $1.60............. $2.50.
over $100 to $5000.............. $1.60 plus $0.90 $2.50 plus $0.90
for each for each
additional $100 additional $100
or fraction or fraction
thereof. thereof.
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2. International Express Mail: The limit of indemnity for
merchandise insurance is increased from $500 to $5000. The first $500
of merchandise is without charge above the postage. For merchandise
insurance coverage over
[[Page 28633]]
$500 and up to and including $5000 is $0.90 for each additional $100 or
fraction of $100 of merchandise insurance coverage requested. The
maximum merchandise insurance is $5000.
Document reconstruction insurance included with international
Express Mail Service is reduced from $50,000 to $500.
3. Special Delivery: The Postal Service fee for international
special delivery (Express/Expres) is changed to $2.35 for letters/
letter packages, post and postal cards, printed matter, matter for the
blind, and small packets, regardless of weight.
4. Recorded Delivery: The fee for recorded delivery service is
increased to $1.35.
Although the Postal Service is exempted by 39 U.S.C. 410(a) from
the advance notice requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act
regarding proposed rulemaking (5 U.S.C. 553), the Postal Service
invites public comment on this final rule.
The Postal Service is adopting the above fees and amends the
International Mail Manual, which is incorporated by reference in the
Code of Federal Regulations. See 39 CFR 20.1.
List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 20
Foreign relations, incorporation by reference, international postal
services.
PART 20--[AMENDED]
1. The authority citation for 39 CFR Part 20 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 401, 407, 408.
2. The International Mail Manual is amended to incorporate the
above special mail service fees.
Table 1
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Country Insurance indemnity limit
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Afghanistan............................... N/A.
Albania................................... N/A.
Algeria................................... $2370.
Andorra................................... $600.
Angola.................................... N/A.
Anguilla.................................. $450.
Antigua & Barbuda......................... $60.
Argentina................................. $5000.
Armenia................................... $1465.
Aruba..................................... $600.
Ascension................................. $185 (surface only).
Australia................................. $3660.
Austria................................... $5000.
Azerbaijan................................ $5000.
Azores.................................... $5000.
Bahamas................................... $3035 (Nassau/Freeport);
$605 (other locations).
Bahrain................................... N/A.
Bangladesh................................ $5000.
Barbados.................................. $240.
Belarus................................... $5000.
Belgium................................... $5000.
Belize.................................... $1740.
Benin..................................... $185.
Bermuda................................... $480.
Bhutan.................................... $480.
Bolivia................................... N/A.
Bosnia/Herzegovina........................ $600.
Botswana.................................. $160.
Brazil.................................... $5000 (air only).
British Virgin Islands.................... $180.
Brunei Darussalam......................... $4780.
Bulgaria.................................. $1025.
Burkina Faso.............................. $580.
Burma (Myanmar)........................... $4390 (air parcels to
Rangoon only).
Burundi................................... $855 (air only).
Cambodia.................................. N/A.
Cameroon.................................. $5000.
Canada.................................... $730.
Cape Verde................................ $480.
Cayman Islands............................ N/A.
Central African Republic.................. $4780.
Chad...................................... $480 (air only).
Chile..................................... N/A.
China..................................... $1225.
Colombia.................................. N/A.
Comoros................................... $750.
Congo..................................... $1830.
Corsica................................... $5000.
Costa Rica................................ N/A.
Cote d' Ivoire............................ $5000.
Croatia................................... $5000.
Cuba...................................... N/A.
Cyprus.................................... $5000.
Czech Republic............................ $5000.
Denmark................................... $5000.
Djibouti.................................. $955.
Dominica.................................. N/A.
Dominican Republic........................ N/A.
Ecuador................................... N/A.
Egypt..................................... $1830.
El Salvador............................... N/A.
Equatorial Guinea......................... N/A.
Eritrea................................... N/A.
Estonia................................... $1465.
Ethiopia.................................. N/A.
Falkland Islands.......................... $555 (surface only).
Faroe Islands............................. $5000.
Fiji...................................... $600.
Finland................................... $5000.
France.................................... $5000.
French Guiana............................. $5000.
French Polynesia.......................... $1080.
Gabon..................................... $525.
Gambia.................................... $2800.
Georgia................................... $730.
Germany................................... $5000.
Ghana..................................... $5000.
Gibraltar................................. $95.
Great Britain & Northern Ireland.......... $2195.
Greece.................................... $5000.
Greenland................................. $5000.
Grenada................................... $380.
Guadeloupe................................ $5000.
Guatemala................................. N/A.
Guinea.................................... $950.
Guinea-Bissau............................. $21.
Guyana.................................... $10.
Haiti..................................... N/A.
Honduras.................................. N/A.
Hong Kong................................. $5000.
Hungary................................... $5000 (surface); $4780
(air).
Iceland................................... $5000.
India..................................... $3070.
Indonesia................................. N/A.
Iran...................................... N/A.
Iraq...................................... $575 (surface); $2390 (air).
Ireland................................... $1545.
Israel.................................... N/A.
Italy..................................... $2390.
Jamaica................................... N/A.
Japan..................................... $5000.
Jordan.................................... N/A.
Kazakhstan................................ $5000.
Kenya..................................... $885.
Kiribati.................................. N/A.
Korea (Democratic People's Republic of)... N/A.
Korea (Republic of)....................... $5000.
Kuwait.................................... $1920.
Kyrgyzstan................................ $1465.
Laos...................................... N/A.
Latvia.................................... $1465.
Lebanon................................... $480 (air only).
Lesotho................................... $480.
Liberia................................... $480.
Libya..................................... N/A.
Liechtenstein............................. $5000.
Lithuania................................. $5000.
Luxembourg................................ $5000.
Macao..................................... $5000.
Macedonia (Republic of)................... $2390.
Madagascar................................ $730.
Madeira Islands........................... $5000.
Malawi.................................... $55.
Malaysia.................................. $475.
Maldives.................................. N/A.
Mali...................................... $1030.
Malta..................................... N/A.
Martinique................................ $5000.
Mauritania............................... $690.
Mauritius................................. $295.
Mexico.................................... N/A.
Moldova................................... $1465.
Mongolia.................................. $480.
Montserrat................................ $2390.
Morocco................................... $955.
Mozambique................................ N/A.
Namibia................................... $535.
Nauru..................................... $240.
Nepal..................................... N/A.
Netherlands............................... $4780.
Netherlands Antilles...................... $900.
New Caledonia............................. $1750.
New Zealand............................... $1065.
Nicaragua................................. $480.
Niger..................................... $880.
Nigeria................................... $220.
Norway.................................... $5000.
Oman...................................... $620.
Pakistan.................................. $295.
Panama.................................... N/A.
Papua New Guinea.......................... $485.
[[Page 28634]]
Paraguay.................................. N/A.
Peru...................................... N/A.
Philippines............................... $295.
Pitcairn Island........................... N/A.
Poland.................................... $1465.
Portugal.................................. $5000.
Qatar..................................... $2730.
Reunion................................... $5000.
Romania................................... $5000.
Russia.................................... $5000.
Rwanda.................................... N/A.
St. Christopher & Nevis................... $225.
St. Helena................................ $185.
St. Lucia................................. $435.
St. Pierre & Miquelon..................... $5000.
St. Vincent & The Grenadines.............. $145.
San Marino (Republic of).................. $2390.
Sao Tome & Principe....................... $480.
Saudi Arabia.............................. N/A.
Senegal................................... $940.
Serbia-Montenegro......................... $5000.
Seychelles................................ N/A.
Sierra Leone.............................. N/A.
Singapore................................. $4780.
Slovak Republic (Slovakia)................ $5000.
Slovenia.................................. $4780.
Solomon Islands........................... N/A.
Somalia................................... $480.
South Africa.............................. $1915.
Spain..................................... $480 (surface); $955 (air).
Sri Lanka................................. $40.
Sudan..................................... N/A.
Suriname.................................. $580.
Swaziland................................. $610.
Sweden.................................... $5000.
Switzerland.............................. $5000.
Syria..................................... $3345.
Taiwan.................................... $500.
Tajikistan................................ $410.
Tanzania.................................. $250.
Thailand.................................. $480.
Togo...................................... $2380.
Tonga..................................... $560.
Trinidad & Tobago......................... $1010.
Tristan Da Cunha.......................... N/A.
Tunisia................................... $2390.
Turkey.................................... $955.
Turkmenistan.............................. $730.
Turks & Caicos Islands.................... N/A.
Tuvalu.................................... $5000 (surface); $730 (air).
Uganda.................................... N/A.
Ukraine................................... $5000.
United Arab Emirates...................... $5000.
Uruguay................................... N/A.
Uzbekistan................................ $410.
Vanuatu................................... N/A.
Vatican City.............................. $2390.
Venezuela................................. N/A.
Vietnam................................... N/A.
Wallis & Fortuna Islands.................. $1755 (air only).
Western Samoa............................. $320.
Yemen..................................... $600.
Zaire..................................... N/A.
Zambia.................................... $585.
Zimbabwe.................................. $600.
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Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 97-13683 Filed 5-23-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-U