Tag: Mail Services

USPS adopts new standards for undeliverable-as-addressed mail from abroad

Posted by | Jan 15, 2008 | |

The US Postal Service has implemented new standards to recover the cost of handling undeliverable-as-addressed items posted from abroad with a US return address. The change took place January 14.

In the past, the USPS provided the return service without charge. Now, to recover the cost of handling these mailpieces, the new regulations will allow the USPS to collect the applicable First-Class Mail International rate.

If an item has been mailed in a foreign country by or on behalf of a US resident or US-based firm, and the foreign postage rate applied to the item is less than the US domestic rate, then the USPS will have the right to collect the applicable postage.

Essentially, this is putting down in writing something that the Universal Postal Union, a specialized agency of the United Nations, put into effect in 1999, said Yvonne Yoerger, spokeswoman for USPS.

She added that, since then, it has been up to individual countries whether they wanted to follow the practice or not. In the US, for example, the practice has not been applied consistently. “We want to get a handle on how significant this is for us,” she said.

The USPS is currently collecting data on how much money it stands to save from the change, according to Obataiye B. Akinwole, USPS classification specialist. “We know that it is an issue, we’re just looking to see how big an issue it is now,” he said.

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Postcomm asks for views on the regulatory framework for postal services from 2010

Posted by | Jan 15, 2008 | |

Postcomm is considering how, and to what extent, it should regulate Royal Mail from 2010 onwards, when its current price control is due to be replaced.

The regulator wants to begin by taking a ‘top down’ approach, based on what was learned from last year’s Strategy Review, before focusing on detail later on in the process. Most specifically, Postcomm wants to consider whether adopting a different approach could allow a significant reduction in the scope of regulation, whilst maintaining sufficient protection for customers and operators in those areas where Royal Mail has substantial and enduring market power.

An initial letter, issued to stakeholders, sets out a number of possible approaches and seeks feedback on the advantages and disadvantages of each of them. Postcomm is also looking for stakeholders’ views as to what other measures might be needed to ensure that a proposed approach would be effective.

Responses to this initial consultation should be sent to Postcomm by Friday 14 March 2008. Following this consultation, Postcomm will carefully consider responses, before publishing initial proposals for changes to the regulatory framework around June 2008.

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Pakistan Post increases service charges

Posted by | Jan 15, 2008 | |

The Pakistan Post (PP) has increased its service charges with the start of 2008, according to an official notification made available to Daily Times.

“A commission on the issue of inland money order and urgent money order at the flat rate of Rs 50, irrespective of the value of a single money order up to Rs 10,000, shall be charged from January 1, 2008,” says the notification. The charges of the Pakistan postal order (PPO) have been increased from Rs 5 to Rs 15. The notification has been dispatched to all PP offices and they have been asked to follow it strictly. The charges have been increased for inland ordinary money orders, urgent money orders, PPO and insured articles.

A PP official told Daily Times that earlier Rs 15 were charged for the delivery of a Rs 1,000 money order and Rs 20 for a Rs 2,000 money order. An additional amount of Rs 5 was charged with the increase of every Rs 1,000 into the value of a money order, he added.

The official said most PP customers had criticised the increase in the PP service charges. “Heated arguments have become a routine at the PP offices, irritating the staff,” he said. “The PP has increased charges manifold, inconveniencing its customers,” Sahibzada Fakhar, a PP customer, said.

1 USD = 62.2600 PKR

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Government to shed its stake in MaltaPost

Posted by | Jan 14, 2008 | |

The government’s 40 per cent shareholding in MaltaPost is being offered for sale via an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and MaltaPost shares will be quoted on the Malta Stock Exchange later this month.

At a news conference held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre early last week to announce the sale, Minister Austin Gatt succinctly explained, “The government’s business is government and not business.”

He said that the event was the final step in Maltapost’s privatisation process that had began five years ago resulting in a leaner and more efficient postal service that could operate on commercial lines. As a government entity the postal service was “expensive to run and resulted in taxpayers’ money being poured in,” he said. In the Maltese context, he believed it made sense to allow Lombard Bank, a strong and respected local financial institution, to take a majority stake “but we are now also providing an opportunity to the public to invest in this company by putting our remaining shares up for sale through this IPO,” he said. We did this with a purpose. A deal could have been struck to sell all the government’s shares to Lombard Bank, but this government believes in extending the public an opportunity to invest and that is why we are listing the shares on the stock exchange.”

The share offer is of 11,200,000 shares of a nominal value of e0.25c per share at a Share Offer Price of e0.50c per share. The offer is being made by the Malta government and Malta Government Investment Limited that currently own 40 per cent of the company. Maltapost market capitalisation is currently set at e14,000,000. The company is also to adopt a dividend policy of distributing up to 50 per cent of yearly available profits.

1 USD = 0.288408 MTL

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Arab nations gear up for UPU Congress

Posted by | Jan 14, 2008 | |

Postal administrators from Arab countries discussed the Arab stand on postal issues at the 15th meeting of the Arab Permanent Postal Council at the General Secretariat of Arab League, Cairo.

Emirates Post was appointed head of a special committee to prepare the Arab approach for the UPU Congress which will be held in Nairobi from August 13 to September 3, 2008.

A high-level delegation from Emirates Post headed by assistant director general, operations, Salem Al Shaya took part in the deliberations. The participants included senior officials from Arab postal corporations, the Arab League and the UPU.

The council discussed a number of key issues, including modernisation of mail operations in Arab countries. It was decided to issue a stamp on Arab Postal Day on September 3, 2008.

The meeting also urged all Arab postal corporations to participate in the Stamp Exhibition in Doha from January 30 to February 3, 2008.

The council reiterated its support to Palestine Post and called for steps to help the state modernise its mail and parcel services. It was also agreed to issue special stamps on Palestine Land Day and donate the proceeds to Palestinian Authority.

The Emirates Post delegation made presentations on International Financial Services (IFS) as head of the Arab management committee, the Arab postal strategy for Nairobi Congress 2008 and UPU clearing.

Other members of the Emirates Post delegation included director, operations, Saif Al Shehhi, and postal operations consultant Nasser Qadoumi.

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