UPU and IPC join forces to “strengthen postal network”

Universal Postal Union (UPU) and International Post Corporation (IPC) have signed a new cooperation agreement, intended to bring their current collaboration to new heights. This new agreement will run until December 2025. 
 
The new agreement recognises the challenging and dynamic environment for the global postal industry and the respective membership of both organisations, the e-commerce opportunities for posts as well as the ever-evolving demand for cooperative solutions.

Underlining that the global postal network is the best vehicle for facilitating e-commerce exchange and growth for posts and customers, the UPU and IPC agree to maximise cooperative efforts to strengthen and promote this network aimed at ensuring that it remains as the e-commerce channel of choice.

Marjan Osvald, UPU Deputy Director General, says: “In light of our intensive and successful dialogue, it is our honour to announce the signing of our new Cooperation Agreement. This aims to build a cooperative framework between the two organizations to further strengthen our postal network”.

Holger Winklbauer, CEO, IPC, says: “Our shared view is that a mutually supportive working relationship is desirable within a context of increasingly scarce resources. It is essential to demonstrate greater efficiency and promote innovative solutions and improvements for the postal industry as a whole”.

The global postal network constitutes an important vehicle for facilitating e-commerce exchanges. Through this agreement, UPU and IPC seek to jointly optimise efforts to contribute to the development of accessible, efficient, high quality, innovative and sustainable international postal services in UPU member countries’ designated operators which also includes IPC’s member posts.

Both organisations will explore the potential for joint initiatives, share information and expertise and maximise synergies and efficiencies in the offer of services and activities. At this stage, cooperation will be focused on ten agreed areas as follows:

– Yellow pages (IPC and UPU services);
– UPU-IPC information technology data interchange;
– Leg 2 – supply chain;
– International accounting;
– Sustainability;
– RFID interoperability;
– E-commerce and market research;
– Information technology alignment;
– International transport;
– Promoting and enabling export e-commerce.

Other areas for cooperation can and will be mutually explored and added throughout the lifetime of the agreement.