27th Universal Postal Congress approves remote participation

The following is a statement on the use of remote participation at the 27th Universal Postal Congress:

“The UPU Congress approved by acclamation a compromise proposal that allows members who are unable to travel to Abidjan to participate in the deliberations and to take part in electronic voting.
 
However, the possibility of remote participation referred to above shall not apply in the event of

1. any secret ballot or

2. any non-secret vote taken by the traditional system,

in which case Union member countries availing themselves of the aforementioned possibility shall not be counted for the purposes of article 17 of the Rules of Procedure of Congresses, nor be entitled to vote or give notices of representation to other Union member countries.
 
These procedures shall enter into force on13 August 2021 and remain so solely for the duration of the 27th Congress, and be immediately abrogated thereafter.
 
The proposal to create new article 1bis is aimed at providing more clarity on certain terms used, so as to include the possibility of remote participation while limiting that possibility to open votes conducted by the electronic system.

Thus the physical character of Congress is preserved, since all secret ballots, including elections, will require in-person representation and will not accept notices of representation from member countries participating remotely.”