[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 147 (Tuesday, July 30, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 39592-39593]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-19242]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 20


Amendment to International Package Consignment Service to Japan, 
Canada, and the U.K.

Agency: Postal Service.

Action: Amendment to interim rule with request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is amending the interim rule on 
International Package Consignment Service (IPCS) to add additional IPCS 
processing facilities and to limit availability of customer processing.

DATES: The interim regulations take effect at 12:01 a.m. on July 1, 
1996. Comments must be received on or before August 30, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be mailed or delivered to 
International Business Unit, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza 
SW, Room EB-4400, Washington, DC 20260-6500. 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: Frank Richards, (202) 268-5743.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: International Package Consignment Service is 
a service that assists mail order companies and other customers that 
send merchandise to Japan, Canada, and the United Kingdom (U.K.). 
Presently, the Postal Service has one IPCS processing facility at John 
F. Kennedy Airport in New York. Customers within 500 miles of that 
facility have their packages picked up by the Postal Service for 
transport to the JFK facility for processing. Customers more than 500 
miles from the JFK facility have been required to transport their 
packages to the JFK facility or perform some of the processing of the 
packages themselves. In order to further meet the needs of customers 
more than 500 miles from the JFK facility, the Postal Service is 
opening additional processing sites near the Dallas-Fort Worth 
International Airport, and in Chicago, Miami, San Francisco, and 
Seattle. The Dallas International Service Center will open on July 1, 
1996. Within the next three months, the Postal Service will open the 
additional facilities in Chicago, Miami, San Francisco, and Seattle. 
The actual opening dates will be published in the Postal Bulletin.
    Accordingly, the Postal Service hereby adopts this amendment to the 
interim rule for IPCS to Japan, Canada, and the U.K. 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. Effective July 1, 1996, subchapter 620 of the International Mail 
Manual, Issue 16, is amended as follows:

6  SPECIAL PROGRAMS

* * * * *

620  International Package Consignment Service

* * * * *

626  IPCS to Japan

* * * * *
626.12  IPCS Processing
    All IPCS packages processed by the Postal Service are processed at 
a designated IPCS processing facility.
626.13  Delivery Options
* * * * *
626.132  Standard Air Service
    Packages sent as Standard Air Service are transported by air to 
Japan, where they enter Japan Post's domestic airmail system for 
delivery. The mailer can

[[Page 39593]]

track Standard Air Service packages through dispatch from the 
designated IPCS processing facility or the appropriate International 
Exchange Office facility.
626.133  Economy Air Service
    Packages sent as Economy Air Service are transported by air to 
Japan, where they enter Japan Post's domestic surface system for 
delivery. The mailer can track Economy Air Service packages through 
dispatch from the designated IPCS Processing Facility.
626.2  Acceptance
626.21  Within 500 Miles of an IPCS Processing Facility
    If the plant at which the mailer's packages originate is located 
within 500 miles of an IPCS processing facility, the Postal Service 
will verify and accept the packages at the plant and transport them to 
the processing facility according to a schedule agreed upon by the 
Postal Service and the mailer.
626.22  More than 500 Miles from an IPCS Processing Facility
626.221  Drop Shipment to an IPCS Processing Facility
    If the mailer's plant from which the IPCS packages will originate 
is located more than 500 miles from an IPCS processing facility, the 
mailer may present the packages to the Postal Service for verification 
at the plant and transport them as a drop shipment to an IPCS 
Processing Facility according to a schedule agreed upon by the Postal 
Service and the mailer.
626.222  Customer Processing
    If the plant at which the mailer's IPCS packages originate is more 
than 500 miles from an IPCS processing facility the mailer may process 
the packages using Postal Service-provided workstations and sort and 
prepare the packages as required by the Postal Service. The Postal 
Service verifies and accepts the packages at the mailer's plant 
according to a schedule agreed upon by the Postal Service and the 
mailer, and transports the packages to a designated IPCS Processing 
Facility for dispatch.
* * * * *
626.7  [Formerly 627] Customs Forms Required
    The mailer is not normally required to affix customs forms to IPCS 
packages sent to Japan if the packages are processed at an IPCS 
Processing Facility. In such cases, the Postal Service prints the 
necessary customs forms, based on the package-specific information 
transmitted by the mailer, and affixes the forms to the packages. If 
the packages are processed at the mailer's plant on Postal Service-
provided workstations, those workstations print the necessary forms 
that the mailer normally affixes to the packages. During the interim 
period (maximum 60 days) in which the Postal Service and the mailer are 
establishing the information system linkages to enable the Postal 
Service to accomplish this, the mailer must affix the appropriate 
customs forms to the packages, as follows:
a. Express Service
    Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note.
b. Standard Air Service
    Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note with Form 2976-E 
(envelope).
c. Economy Air Service
    Under $400--Form 2976, Customs Labels; $400 and over--2976-A, 
Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note.
626.8  [Formerly 628] Preparation Requirements
626.81  Express Service
626.811  Processing at an IPCS Processing Facility
    Every package sent through Express Service must bear a label 
identifying it as an Express Service package. The mailer is not 
normally required to affix this label when such packages are processed 
at an IPCS Processing Facility. In this case, the Postal Service prints 
the necessary label and affixes it to the Express Service package. 
During the interim period in which the Postal Service and the mailer 
are establishing the information systems linkages to enable the Postal 
Service to accomplish this, the mailer is required to affix to every 
Express Service package Label 11-B, Express Mail Post Office to 
Addressee, or an alternative label as directed by the Postal Service.
* * * * *
    3. Effective July 1, 1996, the Individual Country Listing for 
Canada in the International Mail Manual is amended by adding the 
regulations concerning International Package Consignment Service 
processing facilities:

International Package Consignment Service

Processing Facilities

    IPCS packages sent to Canada are processed at a designated IPCS 
processing facility. The Postal Service currently operates IPCS 
processing facilities at JFK International Airport and near the Dallas-
Fort Worth International Airport. Additional IPCS processing centers 
will include Chicago, Miami, Seattle, and San Francisco.

Processing and Acceptance

More Than 500 Miles From an IPCS Processing Facility

    Option 2: Customers more than 500 miles from an IPCS Processing 
Facility may process the packages using Postal Service provided 
workstations and sort and prepare the packages as required by the 
Postal Service. The Postal Service verifies and accepts the packages at 
the customer's plant according to a schedule agreed upon by the Postal 
Service and the customer, and the Postal Service transports the 
packages to a designated IPCS Processing Facility for dispatch.
    4. Effective July 1, 1996, the Individual Country Listing for Great 
Britain and Northern Ireland in the International Mail Manual is 
amended by adding the regulations concerning International Package 
Consignment Service processing facilities.

Processing Facilities

    IPCS packages sent to the United Kingdom are processed at a 
designated IPCS processing facility. The Postal Service currently 
operates IPCS processing facilities at JFK International Airport and 
near the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Additional IPCS 
processing centers will include Chicago, Miami, Seattle, and San 
Francisco.

Processing and Acceptance

More Than 500 Miles for an IPCS Processing Facility, Option Two

    For customers more than 500 miles from an IPCS Processing Facility 
may process the packages using Postal Service provided workstations and 
sort and prepare the packages as required by the Postal Service. The 
Postal Service verifies and accepts the packages at the customer's 
plant according to a schedule agreed upon by the Postal Service and the 
customer, and the Postal Service transports the packages to a 
designated IPCS Processing Facility for dispatch.
Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 96-19242 Filed 7-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P