97-23836. Implementation of Global Package Link Service  

  • [Federal Register Volume 62, Number 175 (Wednesday, September 10, 1997)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 47558-47560]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 97-23836]
    
    
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    POSTAL SERVICE
    
    39 CFR Part 20
    
    
    Implementation of Global Package Link Service
    
    AGENCY: Postal Service.
    
    ACTION: Interim rules with request for comments.
    
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    SUMMARY: Global Package Link is an international mail service designed 
    for companies sending merchandise to other countries. To implement an 
    agreement previously entered into with the postal administration of 
    France, that country is now being added as a destination country. This 
    action is consistent with the Postal Service's original plan to add 
    destination countries as customer needs dictate (59 FR 65961; December 
    22, 1994). Global Package Link Service has previously been made 
    available to Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Germany, Japan, Mexico, 
    Singapore, and the United Kingdom. To use Global Package Link (GPL) 
    service, a customer must mail at least 10,000 GPL packages a year and 
    agree to link its information systems with those of the Postal Service, 
    so that the Postal Service can extract certain information about the 
    contents of the customer's packages for customs clearance and other 
    purposes. Initially, the Postal Service will offer one Standard 
    delivery option in France. A second, Premium Service, is under 
    development and will be available in the next year. Interim regulations 
    have been developed, and are set forth below for comment and suggested 
    revision prior to adoption in final form.
    
    DATES: The interim regulations take effect September 10, 1997. Comments 
    must be received on or before October 10, 1997.
    
    ADDRESSES: Written comments should be mailed or delivered to Global 
    Package Link Service, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 
    370 IBU, Washington, DC 20260-6500. Copies of all written comments will 
    be available for public inspection and photocopying at the above 
    address between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Michelson at the above address. 
    Telephone: (202) 268-5731.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    I. Introduction
    
        One of the most important goals of the Postal Service's 
    international mission is the development of services that enhance the 
    ability of U.S. companies to do business in other countries. This 
    responsibility was delineated in 39 U.S.C. 403(b)(2), which makes it 
    the obligation of the Postal Service ``to provide types of mail service 
    to meet the needs of different categories of mail and mail users.'' 
    Global Package Link is designed to more closely meet the needs of 
    customers who send merchandise packages from the United States to 
    multiple international addresses by simplifying the process companies 
    use to prepare their packages for mailing and by reducing the costs 
    those companies incur in mailing merchandise to other countries. Global 
    Package Link makes it easier and more economical for businesses in the 
    United States to export their products to international markets.
        In late 1994, with implementation of International Package 
    Consignment Service, later renamed Global Package Link, to Japan (59 FR 
    65961; December 22, 1994), the Postal Service announced that, when 
    feasible, it would expand the service to other destination countries 
    based on customer requests. The Postal Service later expanded GPL by 
    adding Canada, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Chile, China, Germany, 
    Mexico, and
    
    [[Page 47559]]
    
    Singapore as destination countries for qualifying customers (61 FR 
    13765, March 28, 1996; 62 FR 17072, April 9, 1997; 62 FR 25515, May 9, 
    1997; 62 FR 45160, August 26, 1997), and is hereby further expanding 
    GPL by adding France as a destination country for qualifying customers. 
    This action implements an agreement previously entered into with the 
    postal administration of France on June 30, 1997, and is described 
    below.
    
    II. GPL to France
    
    A. Qualifying Criteria
    
        A customer who wants to use GPL to France will be required to enter 
    into a service agreement with the Postal Service agreeing to meet each 
    of the requirements for using GPL service. First, the customer must 
    mail at least 10,000 GPL packages a year. (Volumes to all GPL countries 
    may be counted toward this minimum. See part IV below.) Second, the 
    customer must designate the Postal Service as its carrier of choice to 
    each country for which it uses GPL service. Third, the customer must 
    link its information systems with the Postal Service's so that the 
    Postal Service and the customer can exchange data transmissions 
    concerning the customer's packages, and the Postal Service can extract, 
    on an as-needed basis, certain information about the package by 
    scanning the customer-provided barcode on each package.
        In general, the information that must be made available to the 
    Postal Service includes: The order number; the package identification 
    number; the buyer's name and address; the recipient's name and address; 
    the total weight of the package; the total value of the package 
    contents; the number of items in the package; and, for each item in the 
    package, its SKU number, its value, postage and handling charge, and 
    its country of origin. In practice, this requirement means that the 
    customer will have to begin the necessary systems work by the time it 
    begins using GPL, and then will have to assist the Postal Service in 
    completing and maintaining the information systems linkages. The Postal 
    Service will use the extracted information to prepare the necessary 
    customs forms and package labels and to provide user-friendly tracking 
    and tracing.
        Arrangements between the Postal Service and the customer that are 
    technical in nature also may appear in the GPL service agreement. For 
    instance, the service agreement may describe the electronic data 
    interface (EDI) or proprietary file format that will be used to 
    transmit data between the customer and the Postal Service, as well as 
    the frequency and schedule of transmissions. Similarly, the service 
    agreement may describe the formats and frequencies for any exception 
    and performance reports that the Postal Service will provide to the 
    customer.
    
    B. Customs Forms
    
        Normally, all necessary Customs forms will be automatically 
    generated by the Postal Service computer workstations. Packages mailed 
    to France through a GPL facility will not be required to bear Customs 
    forms when they are tendered to the Postal Service. The Postal Service 
    will verify, accept, and transport these packages to a designated GPL 
    processing facility. After scanning the customer-printed barcode on 
    each package and correlating it with the package-specific information 
    transmitted by the customer, the Postal Service will print the 
    necessary Customs forms and then affix them to the customer's packages 
    as part of the processing operation at the GPL Processing Facility.
    
    C. Customs Clearance
    
        The Postal Service has developed the Customs Pre-Advisory System 
    (CPAS) as part of GPL processing. This electronic system collects 
    package-specific data to satisfy Customs requirements as packages are 
    processed using the USPS computer workstations located at a GPL 
    facility. The system electronically advises the USPS delivery agent and 
    Customs of the contents of each package mailed. Since this advisory 
    information arrives before the mail, CPAS facilitates and simplifies 
    Customs clearance. To use CPAS, recipients of merchandise must 
    designate the Postal Service and its Customs broker as their agents for 
    Customs clearance.
    
    D. Delivery Options
    
        The Postal Service will initially offer one delivery option in 
    France. This Standard Service will include home delivery throughout 
    France within two to three days after clearing Customs.
        Premium Service is under development and will be available in the 
    next year. It will include track and trace for individual packages and 
    delivery throughout France within one to two days after clearing 
    Customs.
    
    E. Rates
    
        The base rates for GPL service to France are set forth below. The 
    Postal Service will charge the base rates, in one pound increments, for 
    the first 100,000 packages mailed by a customer in a 12-month period. 
    Once the customer has mailed 100,000 packages to a country, postage for 
    the rest of the customer's packages to that country in the remainder of 
    that 12-month period will be reduced by 3% from the base rates.
    
    III. Minimum Volumes
    
        Minimum volumes to all GPL countries are set at a uniform level of 
    10,000 packages during a 12-month time period. Volumes to all GPL 
    destination countries will be applied toward fulfillment of this 
    minimum.
    
    IV. Conclusion
    
        Accordingly, the Postal Service hereby adopts the following interim 
    regulations for GPL service to France. Although 39 U.S.C. 407 does not 
    require advance notice and opportunity for submission of comments, and 
    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 
    interested persons to submit written data, views, or arguments 
    concerning this interim rule.
        The Postal Service adopts the following amendments to 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
    
        International postal service, Foreign relations.
    
    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. Effective September 10, 1997, subchapter 620 of the 
    International Mail Manual, Issue 18, is amended as follows:
    
    
    6  Special Programs
    
    * * * * *
    
    620  Global Package Link
    
    * * * * *
    
    621.3  Availability
    
        Global Package Link service is available only to Brazil, Canada, 
    Chile, China (People's Republic of), France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, 
    Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
    * * * * *
    
    623  General
    
    * * * * *
    
    [[Page 47560]]
    
    623.2  Customs Documentation
    
        Customs documentation will be produced by the Postal Service from 
    data transmitted by the mailer.
    
    623.3  Size and Weight Limits
    
        The weight limits for Global Package Link service are 70 pounds for 
    Chile, China, and Germany; 66 pounds for Brazil, Canada, France, 
    Singapore, and the United Kingdom; 64 pounds for Mexico; and 44 pounds 
    for Japan.
        The maximum length of GPL packages is 60 inches and the maximum 
    length and girth combined is 108 inches with exceptions: Maximum size 
    for Germany is length 47 inches, height 23 inches, width 23 inches; 
    maximum size for China for any one dimension is 59 inches; the sum of 
    the length and the greatest circumference measured in a direction other 
    than the length shall not exceed 118 inches; Japan Standard packages 
    weighing less than 1 pound, the maximum length is 24 inches with a 
    height and depth and length combined maximum of 36 inches. All packages 
    must be large enough to accommodate the necessary labels and customs 
    forms on the address side.
    * * * * *
    
    626  Services Available
    
    * * * * *
    
    626.11  Premium Service
    
        Premium service is available to all countries (Air Courier for 
    Canada) except France. Packages sent through premium service are 
    transported to the destination country by air where they receive 
    special handling and expedited delivery. The mailer can track premium 
    service packages through delivery. Reports of delivery performance are 
    furnished to the mailer in the formats and at the frequencies agreed 
    upon by the Postal Service and the mailer.
    
    626.12  Standard Service
    
        Standard service is available to Japan, Canada (Ground Courier for 
    Canada), France, Mexico, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Packages 
    sent through standard service are transported to the destination 
    country by air (or a combination of air/ground to Canada) for delivery. 
    The mailer can track standard service packages through dispatch from 
    the Global Package Link processing facility for Japan and France and 
    through delivery for Canada and the United Kingdom. In Mexico, Standard 
    Service provides for customer pickup of parcels at selected, secured, 
    customer service centers with tracking to pickup.
    * * * * *
        3. Effective September 10, 1997, the Individual Country Listing for 
    France in the International Mail Manual, Issue 18, is amended by adding 
    the following information, concerning Global Package Link, to the end 
    of the listing.
    
    France
    
    Global Package Link
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Price per piece standard
                                                             service        
               Weight not over (pounds)            -------------------------
                                                      <100,000>100,000 
                                                       pieces       pieces  
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1.............................................        $6.75        $6.55
    2.............................................         8.75         8.49
    3.............................................        10.75        10.43
    4.............................................        12.75        12.37
    5.............................................        14.75        14.31
    6.............................................        16.75        16.25
    7.............................................        18.75        18.19
    8.............................................        20.75        20.13
    9.............................................        22.75        22.07
    10............................................        24.75        24.01
    11............................................        26.75        25.95
    12............................................        28.75        27.89
    13............................................        30.75        29.83
    14............................................        32.75        31.77
    15............................................        34.75        33.71
    16............................................        36.75        35.65
    17............................................        38.75        37.59
    18............................................        40.75        39.53
    19............................................        42.75        41.47
    20............................................        44.75        43.41
    21............................................        46.75        45.35
    22............................................        48.75        47.29
    23............................................        50.75        49.23
    24............................................        52.75        51.17
    25............................................        54.75        53.11
    26............................................        56.75        55.05
    27............................................        58.75        56.99
    28............................................        60.75        58.93
    29............................................        62.75        60.87
    30............................................        64.75        62.81
    31............................................        66.75        64.75
    32............................................        68.75        66.69
    33............................................        70.75        68.63
    34............................................        72.75        70.57
    35............................................        74.75        72.51
    36............................................        76.75        74.45
    37............................................        78.75        76.39
    38............................................        80.75        78.33
    39............................................        82.75        80.27
    40............................................        84.75        82.21
    41............................................        86.75        84.15
    42............................................        88.75        86.09
    43............................................        90.75        88.03
    44............................................        92.75        89.97
    45............................................        94.75        91.91
    46............................................        96.75        93.85
    47............................................        98.75        95.79
    48............................................       100.75        97.73
    49............................................       102.75        99.67
    50............................................       104.75       101.61
    51............................................       106.75       103.55
    52............................................       108.75       105.49
    53............................................       110.75       107.43
    54............................................       112.75       109.37
    55............................................       114.75       111.31
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Discounts
    
        Postage is reduced by the following discounts once the applicable 
    volume thresholds are reached during a 12-month period:
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Number of packages mailed                    Discount 
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Over 100,000................................................          3%
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    * * * * *
    Stanley F. Mires,
    Chief Counsel Legislative.
    [FR Doc. 97-23836 Filed 9-9-97; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 7710-12-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
9/10/1997
Published:
09/10/1997
Department:
Postal Service
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Interim rules with request for comments.
Document Number:
97-23836
Dates:
The interim regulations take effect September 10, 1997. Comments must be received on or before October 10, 1997.
Pages:
47558-47560 (3 pages)
PDF File:
97-23836.pdf
CFR: (1)
39 CFR 20