[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 45 (Friday, March 6, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 13054-13055]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-04038]


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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

39 CFR Part 3025

[Docket No. RM2020-3; Order No. 5439]


Procedures Related to Commission Views

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Commission revises to its rules related to the 
Commission's process for developing views submitted to the Secretary of 
State on certain international mail matters.

DATES: Effective date: April 21, 2020.

ADDRESSES: For additional information, Order No. 5439 can be accessed 
electronically through the Commission's website at https://www.prc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at 
202-789-6820.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents

I. Relevant Statutory Requirements
II. Background
III. Basis and Purpose of Final Rules
IV. Changes to Final Rules

I. Relevant Statutory Requirements

    Section 407(c)(1) of title 39 of the United States Code requires 
that the Secretary of State, before concluding a treaty, convention, or 
amendment establishing a market dominant rate or classification, 
request the Commission's views on the consistency of such rate or 
classification with the modern rate-setting criteria of 39 U.S.C. 3622. 
Commission views entail the review and analysis of numerous proposals 
from the Universal Postal Union (UPU) or its member countries, which 
are typically posted on the UPU website pursuant to a series of 
deadlines that begin about 6 months before a Congress convenes.

II. Background

    In Docket No. RM2015-14, the Commission adopted rules formalizing 
its procedures related to Commission views submitted pursuant to 39 
U.S.C. 407(c)(1).\1\ The adopted rules reflected the Commission's 
commitment to both transparency and improved public accessibility by 
establishing dockets that informed the public about the availably of 
relevant proposals, Commission views, and other related documents, and 
by allowing all documents to be incorporated into one comprehensive 
record.
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    \1\ See generally, Docket No. RM2015-14, Order Adopting Final 
Rules on Procedures Related to Commission Views, December 20, 2015 
(Order No. 2960), 81 FR 869 (January 8, 2016).
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III. Basis and Purpose of Final Rules

    After years of experience in participating in both traditional UPU 
Congresses as well as two extraordinary Congresses, the Commission 
adopts clarifying changes to the rules in order to better reflect the 
Commission's procedures related to the posting of relevant proposals 
and Commission views.\2\
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    \2\ Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Amend Procedures Related to 
Commission Views, December 17, 2019 (Order No. 5353), 84 FR 70466 
(December 23, 2019).
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IV. Changes to Final Rules

    Due to Commission action in another proceeding, the Commission 
notes several non-substantive changes to the rules as proposed in Order 
No. 5353. These changes do not affect the text of the rules themselves 
and largely relate to the numbering of the rules. In Order No. 5353, 
the Commission proposed rule revisions to 39 CFR part 3017 on December 
17, 2019. See section I, supra; see also Order No. 5353. On January 16, 
2020, the Commission issued a final rulemaking in a separate proceeding 
that, among other things, renumbered several parts in title 39.\3\ In 
Order No. 5407, 39 CFR part 3017 was redesignated as 39 CFR part 3025. 
Id. at 24. In addition, the Commission redesignated Sec. Sec.  3017.1 
through 3017.5 as Sec. Sec.  3025.101 through 3025.105 of the chapter 
and revised the part's heading to ``Procedures Related to Commission 
Views Submitted to the Secretary of State.'' \4\ The revisions set 
forth in Order No. 5407 go into effect on April 20, 2020. Order No. 
5407 at 21-22. In order to avoid any confusion that may be associated 
with these overlapping changes, the final rules adopted in this Order 
will go into effect on April 21, 2020, after the renumbering of parts 
in title 39 is complete. As such, the rule revisions herein reflect the 
numerical and heading changes adopted as part of Order No. 5407.
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    \3\ Docket No. RM2019-13, Order Reorganizing Commission 
Regulations and Amending Rules of Practice, January 16, 2020 (Order 
No. 5407), 85 FR 9614 (February 19, 2020).
    \4\ Id. at 26; 85 FR 9656 (February 19, 2020).
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List of Subjects for 39 CFR Part 3025

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service, Treaties.
    For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Commission amends 
chapter III of title 39 of the Code of Federal Regulations by revising 
part 3025 to read as follows:

PART 3025--PROCEDURES RELATED TO COMMISSION VIEWS SUBMITTED TO THE 
SECRETARY OF STATE

Sec.
3025.101 Definitions in this part.
3025.102 Purpose.
3025.103 Establishment and scope of docket.
3025.104 Comment deadline(s).
3025.105 Issuance of Commission views.

    Authority: 39 U.S.C. 407; 503.


Sec.  3025.101  Definitions in this part.

    (a) Commission views refers to the opinion the Commission provides 
to the Secretary of State pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 407(c)(1) on the 
consistency of a relevant proposal with modern rate regulation.
    (b) Modern rate regulation refers to the standards and criteria the 
Commission has established pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3622.
    (c) Relevant proposal means a proposed change to a treaty, 
convention, or amendment that establishes a market dominant rate or 
classification.


Sec.  3025.102   Purpose.

    The rules in this part are intended to facilitate public 
participation in, and promote the transparency of, the development of 
Commission views.


Sec.  3025.103  Establishment and scope of docket.

    (a) On or about 150 days before a Universal Postal Union Congress 
convenes or such advance time as the Commission determines for any 
other 39 U.S.C. 407(c)(1) matter, the Commission shall establish a 
docket in order to solicit public comments as part of the development 
of Commission views.
    (b) The Commission shall post relevant proposals in the applicable 
docket established pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section and may 
also include other materials related to the development of Commission 
views, such as other documents or related actions.
    (c) Public comments should focus on the specific relevant proposals 
posted by the Commission and the general principles that should guide 
the development of Commission views as

[[Page 13055]]

well as any other materials posted in the applicable docket pursuant to 
paragraph (b) of this section.
    (d) The Commission shall arrange for publication in the Federal 
Register of the notice establishing each docket authorized under this 
part.


Sec.  3025.104  Comment deadline(s).

    (a) The Commission shall establish a deadline for comments upon 
establishment of the docket that is consistent with timely submission 
of Commission views to the Secretary of State. The Commission may 
establish other deadlines for comments as appropriate.
    (b) The Commission may suspend or forego solicitation of comments 
if it determines that such solicitation is not consistent with timely 
submission of Commission views to the Secretary of State.


Sec.  3025.105  Issuance of Commission views.

    (a) The Commission will review timely filed comments responding to 
a Commission solicitation pursuant to Sec.  3025.103(a) prior to 
submitting its views to the Secretary of State.
    (b) After Commission views are developed, the Commission shall post 
Commission views in the applicable docket established pursuant to Sec.  
3025.103(a) and submit Commission views to the Secretary of State 
pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 407(c)(1).

    By the Commission.
Erica A. Barker,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-04038 Filed 3-5-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P