[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 61 (Thursday, March 28, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 13775-13776]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-7491]



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POSTAL SERVICE
39 CFR Part 20


Implementation of Global Priority Mail

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: Global Priority Mail is a new international mail service 
designed for correspondence and documents. Global Priority Mail items 
receive priority handling in the United States and in destination 
countries. Interim implementing regulations were published in the 
Federal Register on March 17, 1995, 60 FR 14370, under the name 
Worldpost Priority Letter. The Postal Service is adopting the interim 
regulations as final, with a change in the name of the service to 
Global Priority Mail and the addition of new acceptance points.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 25, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jay Thabet (202) 268-6095.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 17, 1995, the Postal Service 
published in the Federal Register (60 FR 14370) interim regulations 
implementing WORLDPOST Priority Letter and requested comments. Comments 
were due on or before April 17, 1995. On April 10, 1995, (60 FR 18009), 
the Postal Service published a notice correcting certain ZIP Code areas 
in which WORLDPOST Priority Letter was available.
    WORLDPOST Priority Letter service is an expedited airmail service 
providing fast, reliable, and economical delivery of items mailable as 
letters. Although a WORLDPOST Priority Letter 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 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. 
Service is available only in certain ZIP Code areas in the United 
States and only to certain countries.
    The Postal Service received one comment on the interim regulations. 
That comment suggested that the service be made available to additional 
ZIP Code areas in the Northern New Jersey area. This suggestion has 
been found to

[[Page 13776]]
be feasible and ZIP Code areas in the Northern New Jersey area will be 
added.
    Based on its experience in the pilot, the Postal Service is making 
two other changes. First, the name of the service is being changed to 
Global Priority Mail. Second, the sizes of the envelopes are being 
increased slightly. The small envelope will increase from 5 inches by 
8\7/8\ inches to 6 inches by 10 inches. The large envelope will 
increase from 9 inches by 11\1/2\ inches to 9\1/2\ inches by 12\1/2\ 
inches.
    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 
revising part 226 to read as follows:

2  CONDITIONS FOR MAILING

* * * * *
226  Global Priority Mail
226.1  General
226.11  Definition

    Global Priority Mail is an expedited airmail letter service 
providing fast, reliable, and economical delivery of all items 
mailable as letters. Global Priority Mail 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. Global Priority Mail 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 Global 
Priority Mail as long as the contents fit securely into the Global 
Priority Mail envelopes provided by the Postal Service. Global 
Priority Mail items may contain dutiable merchandise unless the 
country of destination prohibits dutiable merchandise in letters 
(see 224.51). However, Global Priority Mail 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

    Global Priority Mail service is available only to the following 
countries:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Western Europe               Pacific Rim           Canada      
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belgium.........................  Australia.........  Canada.           
France..........................  Hong Kong.........  ..................
Germany.........................  Japan.............  ..................
Great Britain*..................  New Zealand.......  ..................
Netherlands, The................  Singapore.........  ..................
Norway..........................  Taiwan............  ..................
Sweden..........................  ..................  ..................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* 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

    Global Priority Mail service is available only through the 
designated post offices listed in 226.32. Global Priority Mail 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      
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atlanta, GA.........................  300-303, 305, 306, 311.           
Boston, MA..........................  018-024.                          
Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX................  750-754, 760-762, 764.            
Los Angeles, CA.....................  900-918, 926-928.                 
Miami, FL...........................  330-334, 349.                     
New Jersey..........................  070-089.                          
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, 220-  
                                       223.                             
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 Global 
Priority Mail 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 Global Priority Mail 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 Global Priority Mail 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 Global Priority Mail 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: 6 x 10 inches.
    b. Large size: 9\1/2\ x 12\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 Global Priority Mail contains 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. 96-7491 Filed 3-25-96; 4:51 pm]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-M