[Federal Register: July 28, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 144)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 40180-40182] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr28jy98-8] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTAL SERVICE 39 CFR Part 20 Changes in International Special Service Fees AGENCY: Postal Service. ACTION: Final rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Pursuant to its authority under 39 U.S.C. 407, the Postal Service is changing fees for international special mail services to become effective simultaneously with changes to domestic rates and fees. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Walter J. Grandjean, (202) 314-7256. EFFECTIVE DATE: 12:01 a.m., January 10, 1999. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States Postal Service (Postal Service) is a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). By virtue of that membership, the Postal Service adheres to the agreements of the UPU to which it is signatory. Specifically, the Universal Postal Convention (Convention) and the Postal Parcels Agreement (Parcels Agreement) contain provisions concerning the fees member countries can charge for special mail services. The Convention provides charges for nonstandard letters, return receipts, registered mail service, restricted delivery, and recorded delivery and the Parcels Agreement provides charges for insured mail service. The charges provided in these agreements are less than the Postal Service charges for the equivalent domestic service. The agreements authorize member countries whose internal service charges are higher than those that are fixed in the agreements to apply their domestic charges in the international service. The Postal Service charges international special service fees that are the same as the equivalent domestic special service fees to avoid having international fees that are less than those charged domestically. Accordingly, the Postal Service is adjusting the following international special service fees concurrently with changes adopted by the Governors of the Postal Service as a result of the recent proceedings before the Postal Rate Commission (Docket R97-1): A. Certificate of Mailing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fee ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Individual Pieces: Basic service (Form 3817)............... $0.60 (per article). Firm mailing book (Form 3877)........... 0.25 (per article listed). Duplicate of Form 3817 or 3877.......... 0.60 (per page). Bulk Mailings: Up to 1,000 identical pieces............ 3.00. Each additional 1,000 pieces............ 0.40. Duplicate copy.......................... 0.60. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ B. Insured Mail. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Limit of indemnity Fee ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Canada ------------------------------------------------------------------------ $50.......................................................... $0.85 100.......................................................... 1.80 200.......................................................... 2.75 300.......................................................... 3.70 400.......................................................... 4.65 500.......................................................... 5.60 600.......................................................... 6.55 700.......................................................... 7.50 730.......................................................... 8.45 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [[Page 40181]] (The insured mail fees for all countries other than Canada are unchanged.) C. Express Mail International Service. Fee in addition to postage, for additional Express Mail merchandise insurance: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Insurance coverage Fee ------------------------------------------------------------------------ $0.01 to $500.00.......................... None 500.01 to 5,000.00........................ $0.95 for each $100 or fraction thereof over $500. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Express Mail merchandise maximum liability: $5,000.00. Document reconstruction maximum liability: $500.00. D. Pickup Fee (for Express Mail International Service, Global Priority Mail, and parcel post): $8.25. E. Recorded Delivery: $1.40. F. Registered Mail. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Limit of indemnity Fee ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Canada ------------------------------------------------------------------------ $100.00...................................................... $6.20 500.00....................................................... 6.75 1,000.00..................................................... 7.30 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. All Other Countries ------------------------------------------------------------------------ $42.30....................................................... $6.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ G. Return Charge for return publishers' periodicals originally mailed to Canada by publishers or registered news agents (see International Mail Manual 781.5a): The applicable surface regular printed matter rate that would be paid from the United States to Canada. H. Return Receipt: $1.25. This notice does not address charges for services that do not have corresponding domestic service. These charges will be addressed in a separate notice in conjunction with anticipated adjustments in international postage rates. The Postal Service is exempted by 39 U.S.C. 410(a) from the advance notice requirements of the Administration Procedure Act regarding proposed rulemaking (5 U.S.C. 553). List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 20 Foreign relations, Incorporation by reference, International postal services. 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. The International Mail Manual is amended as follows: Chapter 2 Conditions for Mailing * * * * * 211.51 EMS Merchandise Insurance Express Mail merchandise insurance coverage is provided against loss, damage, or rifling up to $500 at no additional charge. Additional insurance coverage above $500 may be purchased at the sender's option. The fee for optional Express Mail International Service merchandise insurance coverage is changed to $0.95 for each $100 or fraction thereof, up to a maximum of $5,000 per shipment. See the Individual Country Listings for the applicable Express Mail insurance fees. * * * * * 212.24 Pickup Service On-call and scheduled pickup service is available for an added charge of $8.25 for each pickup stop, regardless of the number of pieces picked up. Only one pickup fee will be charged if domestic Express Mail, domestic Priority Mail, international Parcel Post, and/or domestic Parcel Post is also picked up at the same time. No pickup fee will be charged when international Express Mail is picked up during a delivery stop or during a scheduled stop made to collect other mail not subject to a pickup fee. Pickup service is provided in accordance with DMM D010. * * * * * 226.83 Pickup Service On-call and scheduled pickup service are available for Global Priority Mail acceptance cities. There is a charge of $8.25 for each pickup stop, regardless of the number of pieces picked up. (See DMM D010 for standards of pickup service.) Pickup is not available for Global Priority Mail pieces if paid by permit imprint or claimed at the volume rate. * * * * * 272.3 Pickup Service Scheduled pickup service is available for an added charge of $8.25 for each pickup stop regardless of the number of pieces picked up. Only one pickup fee will be charged if domestic Express Mail, international Express Mail, domestic Priority Mail, and/or domestic Parcel Post is also picked up at the same time. No pickup fee will be charged when international Parcel Post is picked up during a delivery stop or during a scheduled stop made to collect other mail not subject to a pickup fee. Pickup service is provided in accordance with DMM D010. Chapter 3 Special Services * * * * * 313.1 Individual Pieces The fee for certificates of mailing for ordinary Postal Union mail and ordinary Parcel Post is $0.60 per piece, whether the item is listed individually on PS Form 3817, Certificate of Mailing, or on firm mailing bills. Additional copies of either PS Form 3817 or firm mailing bills are available for $0.60 per page. PS Form 3877, Firm Mailing Book for Accountable Mail, or forms printed at the mailer's expense may be used for certificates for three or more pieces of mail of any class presented at one time. If mailer-printed forms are used instead of PS Form 3877, these forms must contain, at a minimum, the same information as PS Form 3877. The fee is $0.25 per article listed. 313.2 Bulk Pieces Identical pieces of ordinary Postal Union mail that are paid for with regular postage stamps, precanceled stamps, or meter stamps are subject to the following Certificate of Mailing fees: Up to 1,000 pieces............................................. $3.00 For each additional 1,000 pieces or fraction................... 0.40 Duplicate copy................................................. 0.60 * * * * * 333.1 Registration Fee The Registry fee for all countries is changed to $6.00. Exception: See the individual country listing for Canada. * * * * * 343 Fee The fee for a return receipt is $1.25, which is to be paid in addition to postage and other applicable charges. Return receipt service is available at no additional charge for Express Mail International Service to certain countries. Note: Include the weight of the return receipt when determining the postage for mailing the item. * * * * * 363 Fees and Charges * * * * * 363.1 List of Fees and Charges * * * * * [Replace existing text with the following] At the International Claims and Inquiry Office (ICIO) (see 931.21), when the request is sent to the foreign administration by either: [[Page 40182]] 1. Telegraph or cable. (If this method is Cost of telegram..... Prepay. used, a $20 deposit must be collected from the sender and held at post office of inquiry. The post office will be notified of the exact cost and any excess must be returned to the sender.). 2. Registered airmail letter.............. Appropriate registry Prepay. fee plus postage. * * * * * 385.3 Recorded Delivery Fee The recorded delivery fee is $1.40. It is an addition to postage and other special services fees, if applicable. * * * * * Chapter 7 Treatment of Inbound Mail * * * * * 781.5a Return Charges for Postal Union Mail The return charge paid by publishers or registered news agents who originally mailed publishers' periodicals to Canada is now the same as the surface postage rate for a regular printed matter item of the same weight mailed from the United States to Canada. See Individual Country Listings for fees. An appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 20 will be published. Stanley F. Mires, Chief Counsel, Legislative. [FR Doc. 98-20164 Filed 7-27-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7710-12-P