UPU to hold vote on remuneration in September
The Universal Postal Union will hold a vote at an Extraordinary Congress to be held on 24-25 September to decide on the future of the postal remuneration system.
The purpose of the UPU remuneration systems is to compensate the designated operators of destination countries for the cost of handling, transporting and delivering postal items from abroad.
Although the relationship between the UPU remuneration systems and postage is indirect, the UPU remuneration rate does constitute a major cost component that needs to be taken into consideration by the sending designated operator when it receives, processes and dispatches a postal item sent to an addressee residing in another country.
Member countries will be able to vote for one of the following three options:
- To allow member countries to self-declare postal rates;
- To accelerate rate increases already approved by the UPU;
- A convergence option that also adopts self-declared rates as its basis, but with elements aimed at mitigating undue price impact
In a statement earlier this week, the Director General of the UPU Bishar A. Hussein said: “Today’s decision is the outcome of a wide ranging discussion that began in October last year involving every possible UPU stakeholder, including member countries. Every voice has been heard, and every possible view discussed.
“This decision will allow all member countries to vote on this essential matter at either an Extraordinary Congress or a vote by postal ballot. I look forward to working with every member country as we go forward to ensure that we do what is best for the Union, the consumer, and the international postal system.”
