A resolution adopted by the parcels committee of the UPU's Postal Operations Council (POC) on Monday will make sending parcels between Palestine and UPU member countries easier.
The decision enables certain payment provisions to be put in place and has set inward land rates for parcels. The resolution was passed during the current session of the POC, which meets annually at the UPU's International Bureau in Bern, Switzerland.
In November 2008, the UPU's Council of Administration classified Palestine for terminal dues, which are the payments for processing postal items exchanged with UPU member countries. The Palestinian Authority's postal service is also able to access the UPU's Quality of Service Fund to finance projects aimed at improving its own postal service.
The decisions taken this week and in November followed a joint declaration between Israeli Post and the Palestinian Postal Authority at the UPU's 24th Congress in August 2008 in Geneva. Both parties pledged to work on a bilateral basis to facilitate direct exchanges by using the Jordanian capital of Amman as an incoming and outgoing mail hub for items to and from the Palestinian Authority.
The UPU recognized the right of Palestine to participate in the organization's activities as a special observer and to direct exchange of postal services with UPU member countries at its 22nd Congress in Beijing, China, in 1999.