NOTE: COMMENTS REGARDING ANY FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE MUST BE SENT TO THE ADDRESS INDICATED IN THE DOCUMENT. ANY COMMENTS ON THE RAPID INFORMATION BULLETIN BOARD SYSTEM (RIBBS) ABOUT ANY FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES WILL NOT BE USED OR CONSIDERED IN THE COURSE OF ANY RULE MAKING. [Federal Register: March 17, 1995] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTAL SERVICE 39 CFR Part 20 Implementation of WORLDPOST Priority Letter AGENCY: Postal Service. ACTION: Interim rule with request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Western Europe Pacific Rim Canada ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Belgium..................... Australia................... Canada France...................... Hong Kong................... ............ Germany..................... Japan....................... ............ Great Britain*.............. New Zealand................. ............ Norway...................... Singapore................... ............ Sweden...................... Taiwan...................... ............ The Netherlands............. ............................ ............ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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