[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 144 (Tuesday, July 28, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 40180-40182]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20164]
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POSTAL SERVICE
39 CFR Part 20
Changes in International Special Service Fees
AGENCY: Postal Service.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to its authority under 39 U.S.C. 407, the Postal
Service is changing fees for international special mail services to
become effective simultaneously with changes to domestic rates and
fees.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Walter J. Grandjean, (202) 314-7256.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12:01 a.m., January 10, 1999.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States Postal Service (Postal
Service) is a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). By virtue of
that membership, the Postal Service adheres to the agreements of the
UPU to which it is signatory. Specifically, the Universal Postal
Convention (Convention) and the Postal Parcels Agreement (Parcels
Agreement) contain provisions concerning the fees member countries can
charge for special mail services.
The Convention provides charges for nonstandard letters, return
receipts, registered mail service, restricted delivery, and recorded
delivery and the Parcels Agreement provides charges for insured mail
service. The charges provided in these agreements are less than the
Postal Service charges for the equivalent domestic service. The
agreements authorize member countries whose internal service charges
are higher than those that are fixed in the agreements to apply their
domestic charges in the international service.
The Postal Service charges international special service fees that
are the same as the equivalent domestic special service fees to avoid
having international fees that are less than those charged
domestically. Accordingly, the Postal Service is adjusting the
following international special service fees concurrently with changes
adopted by the Governors of the Postal Service as a result of the
recent proceedings before the Postal Rate Commission (Docket R97-1):
A. Certificate of Mailing.
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Fee
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Individual Pieces:
Basic service (Form 3817)............... $0.60 (per article).
Firm mailing book (Form 3877)........... 0.25 (per article listed).
Duplicate of Form 3817 or 3877.......... 0.60 (per page).
Bulk Mailings:
Up to 1,000 identical pieces............ 3.00.
Each additional 1,000 pieces............ 0.40.
Duplicate copy.......................... 0.60.
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B. Insured Mail.
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Limit of indemnity Fee
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Canada
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$50.......................................................... $0.85
100.......................................................... 1.80
200.......................................................... 2.75
300.......................................................... 3.70
400.......................................................... 4.65
500.......................................................... 5.60
600.......................................................... 6.55
700.......................................................... 7.50
730.......................................................... 8.45
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[[Page 40181]]
(The insured mail fees for all countries other than Canada are
unchanged.)
C. Express Mail International Service.
Fee in addition to postage, for additional Express Mail merchandise
insurance:
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Insurance coverage Fee
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$0.01 to $500.00.......................... None
500.01 to 5,000.00........................ $0.95 for each $100 or
fraction thereof over $500.
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Express Mail merchandise maximum liability: $5,000.00.
Document reconstruction maximum liability: $500.00.
D. Pickup Fee (for Express Mail International Service, Global
Priority Mail, and parcel post): $8.25.
E. Recorded Delivery: $1.40.
F. Registered Mail.
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Limit of indemnity Fee
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1. Canada
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$100.00...................................................... $6.20
500.00....................................................... 6.75
1,000.00..................................................... 7.30
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2. All Other Countries
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$42.30....................................................... $6.00
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G. Return Charge for return publishers' periodicals originally
mailed to Canada by publishers or registered news agents (see
International Mail Manual 781.5a): The applicable surface regular
printed matter rate that would be paid from the United States to
Canada.
H. Return Receipt: $1.25.
This notice does not address charges for services that do not have
corresponding domestic service. These charges will be addressed in a
separate notice in conjunction with anticipated adjustments in
international postage rates.
The Postal Service is exempted by 39 U.S.C. 410(a) from the advance
notice requirements of the Administration Procedure Act regarding
proposed rulemaking (5 U.S.C. 553).
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, 404, 407, 408.
2. The International Mail Manual is amended as follows:
Chapter 2 Conditions for Mailing
* * * * *
211.51 EMS Merchandise Insurance
Express Mail merchandise insurance coverage is provided against
loss, damage, or rifling up to $500 at no additional charge. Additional
insurance coverage above $500 may be purchased at the sender's option.
The fee for optional Express Mail International Service merchandise
insurance coverage is changed to $0.95 for each $100 or fraction
thereof, up to a maximum of $5,000 per shipment. See the Individual
Country Listings for the applicable Express Mail insurance fees.
* * * * *
212.24 Pickup Service
On-call and scheduled pickup service is available for an added
charge of $8.25 for each pickup stop, regardless of the number of
pieces picked up. Only one pickup fee will be charged if domestic
Express Mail, domestic Priority Mail, international Parcel Post, and/or
domestic Parcel Post is also picked up at the same time. No pickup fee
will be charged when international Express Mail is picked up during a
delivery stop or during a scheduled stop made to collect other mail not
subject to a pickup fee. Pickup service is provided in accordance with
DMM D010.
* * * * *
226.83 Pickup Service
On-call and scheduled pickup service are available for Global
Priority Mail acceptance cities. There is a charge of $8.25 for each
pickup stop, regardless of the number of pieces picked up. (See DMM
D010 for standards of pickup service.) Pickup is not available for
Global Priority Mail pieces if paid by permit imprint or claimed at the
volume rate.
* * * * *
272.3 Pickup Service
Scheduled pickup service is available for an added charge of $8.25
for each pickup stop regardless of the number of pieces picked up. Only
one pickup fee will be charged if domestic Express Mail, international
Express Mail, domestic Priority Mail, and/or domestic Parcel Post is
also picked up at the same time. No pickup fee will be charged when
international Parcel Post is picked up during a delivery stop or during
a scheduled stop made to collect other mail not subject to a pickup
fee. Pickup service is provided in accordance with DMM D010.
Chapter 3 Special Services
* * * * *
313.1 Individual Pieces
The fee for certificates of mailing for ordinary Postal Union mail
and ordinary Parcel Post is $0.60 per piece, whether the item is listed
individually on PS Form 3817, Certificate of Mailing, or on firm
mailing bills. Additional copies of either PS Form 3817 or firm mailing
bills are available for $0.60 per page. PS Form 3877, Firm Mailing Book
for Accountable Mail, or forms printed at the mailer's expense may be
used for certificates for three or more pieces of mail of any class
presented at one time. If mailer-printed forms are used instead of PS
Form 3877, these forms must contain, at a minimum, the same information
as PS Form 3877. The fee is $0.25 per article listed.
313.2 Bulk Pieces
Identical pieces of ordinary Postal Union mail that are paid for
with regular postage stamps, precanceled stamps, or meter stamps are
subject to the following Certificate of Mailing fees:
Up to 1,000 pieces............................................. $3.00
For each additional 1,000 pieces or fraction................... 0.40
Duplicate copy................................................. 0.60
* * * * *
333.1 Registration Fee
The Registry fee for all countries is changed to $6.00. Exception:
See the individual country listing for Canada.
* * * * *
343 Fee
The fee for a return receipt is $1.25, which is to be paid in
addition to postage and other applicable charges. Return receipt
service is available at no additional charge for Express Mail
International Service to certain countries.
Note: Include the weight of the return receipt when determining
the postage for mailing the item.
* * * * *
363 Fees and Charges
* * * * *
363.1 List of Fees and Charges
* * * * *
[Replace existing text with the following]
At the International Claims and Inquiry Office (ICIO) (see 931.21),
when the request is sent to the foreign administration by either:
[[Page 40182]]
1. Telegraph or cable. (If this method is Cost of telegram..... Prepay.
used, a $20 deposit must be collected
from the sender and held at post office
of inquiry. The post office will be
notified of the exact cost and any excess
must be returned to the sender.).
2. Registered airmail letter.............. Appropriate registry Prepay.
fee plus postage.
* * * * *
385.3 Recorded Delivery Fee
The recorded delivery fee is $1.40. It is an addition to postage
and other special services fees, if applicable.
* * * * *
Chapter 7 Treatment of Inbound Mail
* * * * *
781.5a Return Charges for Postal Union Mail
The return charge paid by publishers or registered news agents who
originally mailed publishers' periodicals to Canada is now the same as
the surface postage rate for a regular printed matter item of the same
weight mailed from the United States to Canada. See Individual Country
Listings for fees.
An appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 20 will be published.
Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 98-20164 Filed 7-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P
