[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 52 (Friday, March 17, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14370-14371]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-6776]
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POSTAL SERVICE
39 CFR Part 20
Implementation of WORLDPOST Priority Letter
AGENCY: Postal Service.
ACTION: Interim rule with request for comments.
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SUMMARY: WORLDPOST Priority Letter (WPL) is a new international mail
service designed for correspondence and documents. WPL items receive
priority handling in the United States and in destination countries.
Initially, the service will be available to 14 destination countries,
from specified post offices in seven metropolitan areas. To use WPL, a
customer must use either of the two flat-rate envelopes designed for
this service and provided by the Postal Service. Interim implementing
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 March 16, 1995. Comments
must be received on or before April 17, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be mailed or delivered to
International Product Management, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant
Plaza SW., Room 5300, Washington, DC 20260-2410. Copies of all written
comments will be available for public inspection and photocopying
between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Mitchell, (202) 268-6095.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Universal Postal Convention,
international mail items bearing the ``expres'' logo receive priority
handling in destination countries. A number of postal administrations
take advantage of that provision by offering their customers an
international mail service that is based on, but superior to, normal
airmail service. In contrast, the only single-piece international
service the Postal Service offers that is superior to airmail is
Express Mail International Service (EMS), which is significantly more
expensive than airmail. In order to provide its customers with a wider
range of international services, the Postal Service is implementing, on
a pilot basis, WORLDPOST Priority Letter (WPL).
WPL is an expedited airmail service providing fast, reliable, and
economical delivery of all items mailable as letters. Although a WPL
item will travel in the normal airmail stream between the United States
and the destination country, the item will receive priority handling in
the United States and, typically, in the destination country. In the
United States, after the item is deposited, the Postal Service will
transport it in a dedicated stream to the appropriate gateway for
dispatch. Upon arrival in the destination country, the item will also
receive priority handling.
Initially, WPL is available to the following 14 countries:
Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hong Kong,
Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Taiwan, and The
Netherlands. Based on the Postal Service's evaluation of WPL
performance during the pilot test, the service may be extended to
additional destination countries.
Initially, WPL is available only from specified ZIP Codes in the
following seven metropolitan areas: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas/Fort Worth,
Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and Washington, DC. The Postal Service
chose these initial acceptance sites because of their ability to
provide reliable transportation of items deposited there to the WPL
gateways, as well as their potential to generate significant WPL
volume. Based on the Postal Service's evaluation of WPL performance
during the pilot test, the service may be extended to additional
acceptance sites.
To use WPL, a customer will be required to place the material being
mailed in either the small (5 inches by 8\7/8\ inches) or large (9
inches by 11\1/2\ inches) WPL envelope provided by the Postal Service.
These envelopes bear the appropriate internationally recognized logo
for this service. In addition, their colorful design will facilitate
recognition of the items by U.S. and foreign postal employees, which
will help to ensure that the items receive priority handling.
Rates are based on size (either small or large) and destination as
follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Envelope size
Destination -----------------
Small Large
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western Europe........................................ $3.75 $6.95
[[Page 14371]]
Pacific Rim........................................... 4.95 8.95
Canada................................................ 3.75 6.95
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Accordingly, the Postal Service hereby adopts WPL, on an interim
basis, at the rates set forth in the schedule above. 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 the 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. Chapter 2 of the International Mail Manual is amended by adding
new part 226 to read as follows:
2 CONDITIONS FOR MAILING
* * * * *
226 WORLDPOST Priority Letter (Interim Regulations/Standards)
226.1 General
226.11 Definition
WORLDPOST Priority Letter (WPL) is an expedited airmail letter
service providing fast, reliable, and economical delivery of all
items mailable as letters. WPL items receive priority handling in
the United States and in destination countries. Service is available
only to destination countries identified in 226.2, from post offices
identified in 226.3. WPL items must be mailed in special envelopes
provided for this purpose by the Postal Service.
226.12 Permissible Items
All items admitted in letters (see 221.1) are accepted in WPL as
long as the contents fit securely into the WPL envelopes provided by
the Postal Service. WPL items may contain dutiable merchandise
unless the country of destination prohibits dutiable merchandise in
letters (see 224.51). However, WPL items that contain dutiable
merchandise might experience delay in delivery caused by customs
handling.
226.13 Addressing
See 122. All items must bear the complete delivery address of
the addressee and the full name (no abbreviations) of the
destination country.
226.2 Availability
WORLDPOST Priority Letter service is available only to the
following countries:
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Western Europe Pacific Rim Canada
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Belgium..................... Australia................... Canada
France...................... Hong Kong................... ............
Germany..................... Japan....................... ............
Great Britain*.............. New Zealand................. ............
Norway...................... Singapore................... ............
Sweden...................... Taiwan...................... ............
The Netherlands............. ............................ ............
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*Includes all points in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland,
Guernsey, Jersey, and the Isle of Man.
226.3 Mailing Locations
226.31 Acceptance Offices and Pickup Service Locations
WPL service is available only through the designated post
offices listed in 226.32.
WPL items must not be accepted or deposited in areas not listed
in 226.32.
226.32 Service Areas
Service is available only from the metropolitan areas as defined
by the ZIP Code ranges shown below. Within these service areas,
prepaid items may be given to carriers, deposited in Express Mail
collection boxes, or mailed at post offices, stations, and branches.
Pickup service is available.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Metropolitan area ZIP code service area
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Atlanta, GA....... 300-303, 305, 306, 311
Boston, MA........ 018-024
Dallas/Ft. Worth, 750-754, 760-762, 764
TX.
Los Angeles, CA... 900-918, 926-928
Miami, FL......... 330-334, 349
New York, NY...... 068, 069, 100-108, 110-118
Washington, DC.... 200, 201, 203, 205, 20813-20815, 20817, 20850-20852,
20854, 20855, 20898, 20901, 20902, 20904, 20906,
20907, 20910-20912, 222, 223
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226.4 Postage
226.41 Rates
Rates are based on size (either small or large) and destination
as follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Envelope size
Destination -----------------
Small Large
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western Europe........................................ $3.75 $6.95
Pacific Rim........................................... 4.95 8.95
Canada................................................ 3.75 6.95
------------------------------------------------------------------------
226.42 Pickup Service
On-call and scheduled pickup service are available for WORLDPOST
Priority Letters for a charge of $4.95 for each pickup stop,
regardless of the number of pieces picked up. Only one pickup fee is
charged if domestic or international Express Mail, domestic Priority
Mail, or domestic or international parcel post is picked up at the
same time. (See DMM D010 for standards for pickup service.)
226.43 Postage Payment Methods
Postage for WORLDPOST Priority Letters may be paid by adhesive
stamps, postage meter and meter stamps, or, if presented at a post
office, postage validation imprinter (PVI) labels.
226.5 Packaging
Items must be placed in special WORLDPOST Priority Letter
envelopes provided by the Postal Service. All items that cannot be
adequately protected by these envelopes should not be mailed using
this service. Envelopes must be sealed.
226.6 Size and Weight Limits
226.61 General
Two sizes of envelopes are available from the Postal Service for
mailing WPL items. Postage rates are based on the size of the
envelope used, not the weight of the item. (See 226.41 for rates.)
226.62 Size Limits
Sizes of the required Postal Service-provided envelopes are:
a. Small size--5 inches by 8-7/8 inches.
b. Large size--9 inches by 11-1/2 inches.
226.63 Weight Limits
The Postal Service-provided envelopes are not intended to
accommodate items weighing more than several ounces. However, the
maximum weight for letter-class (LC) items is 4 pounds.
226.7 Customs Forms Required
If WORLDPOST Priority Letters contain dutiable merchandise, the
sender must prepare a customs declaration and affix it to the
letter. See 123 for instructions. Certain nonpostal export forms may
be required as described in Chapter 5.
226.8 Special Services
Mailers may obtain certificates of mailing (see 310). No other
special services such as registry, insurance, restricted delivery,
return receipt, or recorded delivery are available.
A transmittal letter making the changes in the pages of the
International Mail Manual will be published and transmitted
automatically to subscribers. Notice of issuance of the transmittal
letter will be published in the Federal Register as provided by 39
CFR 20.3.
Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 95-6776 Filed 3-16-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P