Some 800 participants are expected to gather in Geneva from 24 to 26 September to discuss the future of the Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) system for remunerating inbound international letters and small packets.
“With 145 years of history behind it, our Union is no stranger to challenging discussions. We have been able to build consensus through a spirit of solidarity and collaboration many times before and we will work together to do so once again next week in Geneva,” said UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein.
He added that discussions on potential changes had been ongoing throughout 2019 and that he remained optimistic about members’ commitment to the single postal territory.
The UPU’s member countries decided to convene an Extraordinary Congress this year to fast-track potential revisions to the remuneration system, also known as terminal dues, after several countries raised concerns over cost-coverage and market distortion under the current methodology.
Over 130 member countries will be represented at the meeting. The United States delegation is led by Mr. Peter Navarro, Assistant to the President of the United States for Trade and Manufacturing Policy.
The terminal dues system ensures that Posts are compensated for the cost of handling, transporting and delivering letters and small packets across borders. UPU member countries typically review and revise the methodology during each quadrennial Universal Postal Congress. The next regular Congress is scheduled for August 2020 and the methodology decided there would not come into effect until 2022.
The Extraordinary Congress will be asked to review three proposals – one which would accelerate rate changes under the current methodology, another which would allow countries to self-declare their rates, and a third convergence proposal which blends the two.
This will be the third Extraordinary Congress in the UPU’s 145-year history. The first was hosted in Berne in 1900 to celebrate the organization’s 25th anniversary. Member countries gathered for a second Extraordinary Congress in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in September 2018 to discuss pressing topics related to the sustainability of the UPU and the postal sector.
Read more about the third Extraordinary Congress here: http://news.upu.int/no_cache/nd/frequently-asked-questions-third-extraordinary-congress/
To join in the social media conversation about the Congress, please use the following hashtag: #postaltogether or use the UPU’s Twitter handle: @UPU_UN.
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The Universal Postal Union is a UN specialized agency with its headquarters in the Swiss capital Berne. Established in 1874, it is one of the world’s oldest international organizations and is the primary forum for cooperation between postal sector players.
For an electronic press pack on the third Extraordinary Congress, or for further information, please contact:
David Dadge
Spokesperson
Third Extraordinary Congress, Geneva
Universal Postal Union (UPU)
Mobile: +41 764573654
Work: +41 31 350 31 23
Email: david.dadge@upu.int