[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 214 (Tuesday, November 5, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59662-59663]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24091]
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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. CP2019-155; Order No. 5288]
Competitive Postal Products
AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Commission is acknowledging a recent filing by the Postal
Service of its intention to change prices not of general applicability
to reflect a range of prices to take effect on a date determined by the
Postal Service Governors. This notice informs the public of the filing,
invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.
DATES: Comments are due: November 6, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing
Online system at http://www.prc.gov. Those who cannot submit comments
electronically should contact the person identified in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section by telephone for advice on filing
alternatives.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at
202-789-6820.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Background
III. Proposed Rates
IV. Initial Administrative Actions
V. Ordering Paragraphs
I. Introduction
On October 29, 2019, the Postal Service filed a notice of specific
per-item and per-kilogram self-declared prices for Inbound Letter Post
Small Packets and Bulky Letters (E format) as well as a notice of price
adjustment for certain Inbound Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky
Letters pieces and associated Inbound Competitive International
Registered Mail Service.\1\ The Postal Service intends for the prices
to take effect on July 1, 2020. Notice at 1. The Postal Service's
Notice requests prompt review and approval of new prices for Inbound
Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky Letters to facilitate its efforts
to commence bilateral negotiations with foreign postal operators. Id.
at 8.
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\1\ Notice of the United States Postal Service of Effective Date
and Specific Rates Not of General Applicability for Inbound E-Format
Letter Post, and Application for Non-Public Treatment, October 29,
2019 (Notice).
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II. Background
In Order No. 5152, the Commission approved a range of self-declared
prices for Inbound Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky Letters from
Universal Postal Union (UPU) group I, II, and III countries and from
group IV countries with mail flows that exceed a certain annual tonnage
threshold.\2\ The Commission also approved the application of default
terminal dues established in the Universal Postal Convention to mail
flows from group IV countries that do not exceed the annual tonnage
threshold. Order No. 5152 at 5, 18. When approving the range of self-
declared rates, the Commission directed the Postal Service to provide
notice of specific per-item and per-kilogram prices at least 15 days
before the effective date of those prices. Id. at 19.
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\2\ Order Approving Range of Rates for Inbound Letter Post Small
Packets and Bulky Letters and Associated International Registered
Mail Service, July 12, 2019, at 5, 18 (Order No. 5152). The Postal
Service applied an annual tonnage threshold of 100 tonnes. See
Responses of the United States Postal Service to Questions 1-10 of
Chairman's Information Request No. 1, question 3.a, June 7, 2019.
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In September 2019, members of the UPU held a Third Extraordinary
Congress and adopted proposals to reform the current terminal dues
system for Inbound Letter Post small packets and bulky letters.\3\
Specifically, the Third Extraordinary Congress adopted proposals that
will allow the Postal Service to charge self-declared prices for
Inbound Letter Post small packets and bulky letters beginning July 1,
2020. Notice at 4. The Postal Service must provide notice of these
self-declared prices to the UPU International Bureau by March 1, 2020.
Id.
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\3\ See Docket No. IM2019-1, Notice and Order Establishing
Section 407 Proceeding, June 20, 2019, at 1 (Order No. 5127).
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III. Proposed Rates
The Postal Service's Notice includes an application for non-public
treatment of materials filed under seal (Attachment 1), redacted
specific per-item and per-kilogram self-declared prices for Inbound
Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky Letters (Attachment 2), a redacted
copy of Governors' Decision No. 19-5 (Attachment 3), and a
certification pursuant to 39 CFR 3015.5(c)(2) (Attachment 4). Id.
Attachments 1-4. In addition, the Postal Service filed the proposed
rates and underlying workpapers under seal in this docket. See Notice
at 3. The Postal Service states that the specific per-item and per-
kilogram prices and supporting workpapers should remain confidential.
Id. at 7. The Postal Service further explains its request for non-
public treatment of the specific self-declared prices in its
application for non-public treatment, filed pursuant to 39 CFR part
3007. Id. Attachment 1 at 1.
The Postal Service notes that the proposals adopted by the Third
Extraordinary Congress necessitate a different price structure from
what the Commission approved in Order No. 5152. See Notice at 5.
Specifically, it plans to combine self-declared prices for Inbound
Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky Letters with applicable rates for
Inbound Letter Post letters and flats to ``formulate blended rates for
low volumes flows,'' which will be applicable to group I countries with
mail flows below 50 tonnes, and to group II and III countries with mail
[[Page 59663]]
flows between 25 to 50 tonnes. Id. Furthermore, it plans to charge
default terminal dues for certain low volume mail flows from group II,
III, and IV countries. Id. at 6. Additionally, the default terminal
dues for group IV countries are higher than those previously approved
in Order No. 5152. Id. The Postal Service also notes that it adjusted
the prices for associated Inbound Competitive International Registered
Mail Service to conform more closely to the Universal Postal Convention
and the Convention Regulations. Id. at 7.
The Postal Service states that the proposed specific per-item and
per-kilogram prices for Inbound Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky
Letters fall within the range approved by the Commission in Order No.
5152. Id. at 3. The Postal Service states that prices for the Inbound
Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky Letters pieces and associated
Inbound Competitive International Registered Mail Service would conform
to the requirements for competitive products under 39 U.S.C. 3633. Id.
at 3, 7. The Postal Service states that the proposed prices cover
attributable costs, avoid cross-subsidization, and do not impede
competitive products' collective ability to cover the appropriate share
of institutional costs. Id. at 3, 7.
IV. Initial Administrative Actions
The Commission invites comments on whether the planned changes are
consistent with 39 U.S.C. 3632 and 3633 and 39 CFR part 3015. Comments
are due no later than November 6, 2019. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505,
Katalin K. Clendenin continues to serve as Public Representative to
represent the interests of the general public in this docket.
V. Ordering Paragraphs
It is ordered:
1. The Commission invites interested persons an opportunity to
express views and offer comments on whether the planned changes are
consistent with 39 U.S.C. 3632 and 3633 and 39 CFR part 3015.
2. Comments are due no later than November 6, 2019.
3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Katalin K. Clendenin continues to
serve as an officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to
represent the interests of the general public in this docket.
4. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this order in the
Federal Register.
By the Commission.
Darcie S. Tokioka,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-24091 Filed 11-4-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P