[Federal Register: July 30, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 147)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 39592-39593] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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