Universal postal Convention

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UNIVERSAL POSTAL

CONVENTION

Bucharest, October 5, 2004

See the text of the document in Russian

Preamble

Part I. Rules applicable in common

throughout the international postal service (Article 1-8ter)

Part II. Rules applicable to letter

post and postal parcels (Article 9-23)

Part III. Remuneration (Article 24-32)

Part IV. Final provisions (Article 33-34)

The undersigned, plenipotentiaries of the Governments of the member countries of the Union, having regard to article 22, paragraph 3, of the Constitution of the Universal Postal Union concluded at Vienna on 10 July 1964, have by common consent and subject to article 25, paragraph 4, of the Constitution drawn up in this Convention the rules applicable throughout the international postal service.

Part I. Rules applicable in common

Throughout the international postal service

SOLE CHAPTER. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Universal postal service

Article 1bis. Definitions

Article 2. Freedom of transit

Article 2bis. Designation of the entity or entities

responsible for fulfilling the obligations arising

from adherence to the Convention

Article 3. Ownership of postal items. Withdrawal from the post.

Alteration or correction of address. Redirection.

Return to sender of undeliverable items

Article 4. Charges

Article 5. Exemption from postal charges

Article 6. Postage stamps

Article 7. Postal security

Article 7bis. Environment

Article 8. Violations concerning postal items

Article 8bis. Violations of means of postal prepayment

and of postal payment itself

Article 8ter. Reciprocity

Article 1. Universal postal service

1. In order to support the concept of the single postal territory of the Union, member countries shall ensure that all users/customers enjoy the right to a universal postal service involving the permanent provision of quality basic postal services at all points in their territory, at affordable prices.

2. With this aim in view, member countries shall set forth, within the framework of their national postal legislation or by other customary means, the scope of the postal services offered and the requirement for quality and affordable prices, taking into account both the needs of the population and their national conditions.

3. Member countries shall ensure that the offers of postal services and quality standards will be achieved by the operators responsible for providing the universal postal service.

3bis Member countries shall ensure the universal postal service is provided on a viable basis, thus guaranteeing its sustainability.

Article 1bis. Definitions

For the purposes of the Universal Postal Convention, the following terms shall have the meanings defined below:

a) universal postal service: the permanent provision of quality basic postal services at all points in a member country's territory, for all customers, at affordable prices;

b) closed mail: labelled bag or set of bags or other receptacles sealed with or without lead, containing postal items;

с transit a decouvert: open transit through an intermediate country, of items whose number or weight does not justify the make-up of closed mails for the destination country;

d) postal item: generic term referring to anything dispatched by the Post's services (letter post, parcel post, money orders, etc.);

e) terminal dues: remuneration owed to the postal administration of destination by the dispatching postal administration in compensation for the costs incurred in the country of destination for letter-post items received;

f) transit charges: remuneration for services rendered by a carrier in the country crossed (postal administration, other service or combination of the two) in respect of the land, sea and/or air transit of mails;

g) inward land rate: remuneration owed to the postal administration of destination by the dispatching postal administration in compensation for the costs incurred in the country of destination for parcels received;

h) transit land rate: remuneration owed for services rendered by a carrier in the country crossed (postal administration, other service or combination of the two) in respect of the land and/or air transit of parcels through its territory;

i) sea rate: remuneration owed for services rendered by a carrier (postal administration, other service or a combination of the two) participating in the sea conveyance of parcels.

Article 2. Freedom of transit

1 The principle of the freedom of transit is set forth in article 1 of the Constitution. It shall carry with it the obligation for each postal administration to forward always by the quickest routes and the most secure means which it uses for its own items, closed mails and a decouvert letter-post items which are passed to it by another administration. This principle shall also apply to missent items or mails.

2 Member countries which do not participate in the exchange of letters containing perishable biological substances or radioactive substances shall have the option of not admitting these items in transit a decouvert through their territory. The same shall apply to letter-post items other than letters, postcards and literature for the blind. It shall also apply to printed papers, periodicals, magazines, small packets and M bags the content of which does not satisfy the legal requirements governing the conditions of their publication or circulation in the country crossed.

3 Freedom of transit for postal parcels to be forwarded by land and sea routes shall be limited to the territory of the countries taking part in this service.

4 Freedom of transit for air parcels shall be guaranteed throughout the territory of the Union. However, member countries which do not operate the postal parcels service shall not be required to forward air parcels by surface.

5 If a member country fails to observe the provisions regarding freedom of transit, other member countries may discontinue their postal service with that country.

Article 2bis. Designation of the entity or entities

responsible for fulfilling the obligations arising

from adherence to the Convention

Member countries shall notify the International Bureau, within six months of the end of Congress, of the name and address of the governmental body responsible for overseeing postal affairs. Within six months of the end of Congress, member countries shall also provide the International Bureau with the name and address of the operator or operators officially designated to operate postal services and to fulfil the obligations arising from the Acts of the Union on its territory. Between Congresses, changes in the governmental bodies and the officially designated operators shall be notified to the International Bureau as soon as possible.

Article 3. Ownership of postal items. Withdrawal from the post.

Alteration or correction of address. Redirection.

Return to sender of undeliverable items

1.  A postal item shall remain the property of the sender until it is delivered to the rightful owner, except when the item has been seized in pursuance of the legislation of the country of origin or destination and in case of application of article 12.2.1.1 or 12.3.1 in accordance with the legislation of the country of transit.

2. The sender of a postal item may have it withdrawn from the post or have its address altered or corrected. The charges and other conditions are laid down in the Regulations.

3. Member countries shall provide for the redirection of postal items, if an addressee has changed his address, and for the return to sender of undeliverable items. The charges and other conditions are laid down in the Regulations.

Article 4. Charges

1 The charges for the various international postal and special services shall be set by the postal administrations in accordance with the principles set out in the Convention and the Regulations. They shall in principle be related to the costs of providing these services.

2. The postal administration of origin shall fix the postage charges for the conveyance of letter- and parcel-post items. The postage charges shall cover delivery of the items to the place of address provided that this delivery service is operated in the country of destination for the items in question.

3. The charges collected, including those laid down for guideline purposes in the Acts, shall be at least equal to those collected on internal service items presenting the same characteristics (category, quantity, handling time, etc.).

4. Postal administrations shall be authorized to exceed any guideline charges appearing in the Acts.

4.1 and 4.2 (Deleted.)

5. Above the minimum level of charges laid down in § 3, postal administrations may allow reduced charges based on their internal legislation for letter-post items and parcels posted in their country. They may, for instance, give preferential rates to major users of the Post.

6. No postal charge of any kind may be collected from customers other than those provided for in the Acts.

7. Except where otherwise provided in the Acts, each postal administration shall retain the charges which it has collected.

Article 5. Exemption from postal charges

1. Principle

1.1 Cases of exemption from postal charges, as meaning exemption from postal prepayment, shall be expressly laid down by the Convention. Nonetheless, the Regulations may provide for both exemption from postal prepayment and exemption from payment of transit charges, terminal dues and inward rates for letter-post items and postal parcels relating to the postal service sent by postal administrations and Restricted Unions. Furthermore, letter-post items and postal parcels sent by the UPU International Bureau to Restricted Unions and postal administrations shall be considered to items relating to the postal service and shall be exempted from all postal charges. However, the administration of origin shall have the option of collecting air surcharges on the latter items.

2. Prisoners of war and civilian internees

2.1 Letter-post items, postal parcels and postal financial services items addressed to or sent by prisoners of war, either direct or through the offices mentioned in the Regulations of the Convention and of the Postal Payment Services Agreement, shall be exempt from all postal charges, with the exception of air surcharges.