The UPU has developed a range of tools and legal instruments for countries interested to link their national e-services into the international digital postal network – a single territory allowing the circulation of secure communication services around the globe.
Regulations and treaty definitions
The common rules applicable to the international postal service and the provisions concerning the letter-post and parcel-post services are given in the UPU Convention Manual and its Regulations. The latest version of the UPU Convention Manual includes the definition of electronic postal services:
Article 37 Electronic postal services
1 Member countries or designated operators may agree with each other to participate in the following electronic postal services, which are described in the Regulations:
1.1 electronic postal mail, which is an electronic postal service involving the transmission of electronic messages and information by designated operators;
1.2 electronic postal registered mail, which is a secure electronic postal service that provides proof of sending and proof of delivery of an electronic message and a secure communication channel to the authenticated users;
1.3 electronic postal certification mark, which provides evidentiary proof of an electronic event, in a given form, at a given time, and involving one or more parties;
1.4 electronic postal mailbox, which enables the sending of electronic messages by an authenticated mailer and the delivery and storage of electronic messages and information for the authenticated addressee
The Regulations of the Convention are agreements concluded by the member countries of the UPU. Within the optional services category, nine (9) regulations are defined for the interoperability of electronic postal services:
- Article 37-001 Hybrid mail
- Article 37-002 Facsimile-based services
- Article 37-003 Text-based services
- Article 37-004 Electronic postal certification mark
- Article 37-005 Postal registered electronic mail
- Article 37-006 Postal electronic mailbox
- Article 37-007 Telematic links. General provisions
- Article 37-008 Special provisions concerning telematic links
- Article 37-009 Rules for payment of telematic links
The UPU Convention Manual and its Regulations are binding on all member countries. Further details can be found at https://www.upu.int/en/Universal-Postal-Union/About-UPU/Acts
Postal Industry Standards
The UPU and its working groups have developed numerous standards anticipating the development of secure internet based services on a global scale and ensuring interoperability of services. UPU standards are established for:
Identity and security frameworks
- S33 – Interoperability Framework for Postal Public Key Infrastructures
- S39 – Trusted Time Stamp
- S64 – Postal Identity Management: general concepts
- S68 – Postal Identity management Trust Framework
Secure communications
- S43 – Secure Electronic Postal Services (SEPS) Interface Specification
- S52 – Postal Registered Electronic Mail (PREM)
Details can be found at https://www.upu.int/en/Postal-Solutions/Programmes-Services/Standards
Since 2001, the UPU and CEN, the European Committee for Standardisation, have agreed on the mutual recognition of activities in technical standardization related to the postal sector. CEN/TC331 has adopted a number of these standards for reference in the European market.