diff --git a/verdrag/algemeen-postverdrag/BWBV0006699/README.md b/verdrag/algemeen-postverdrag/BWBV0006699/README.md index c948e7bff67..51a79c584b9 100644 --- a/verdrag/algemeen-postverdrag/BWBV0006699/README.md +++ b/verdrag/algemeen-postverdrag/BWBV0006699/README.md @@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ Closed letter-post mails may be exchanged through the intermediary of the land, **3.** The designated operator of destination may claim from the designated operator of posting, payment of the internal rates. If the designated operator of posting does not agree to pay these rates within a time limit set by the designated operator of destination, the latter may either return the items to the designated operator of posting and shall be entitled to claim reimbursement of the redirection costs, or handle them in accordance with its national legislation. -**4.** A designated operator shall not be bound to forward or deliver to the addressees letter-post items which senders post or cause to be posted in large quantities in a country other than the country where they reside if the amount of terminal dues to be received is lower than the sum that would have been received if the mail had been posted in the country where the senders reside. The designated operator of destination may claim from the designated operator of posting payment commensurate with the costs incurred and which may not exceed the higher of the following two amounts: either 80% of the domestic tariff for equivalent items, or the rates applicable pursuant to articles 29, 30.5 to 30.11, 30.12 and 30.13, or 31.17, as appropriate. If the designated operator of posting does not agree to pay the amount claimed within a time limit set by the designated operator of destination, the designated operator of destination may either return the items to the designated operator of posting and shall be entitled to claim reimbursement of the redirection costs, or handle them in accordance with its national legislation. +**4.** A designated operator shall not be bound to forward or deliver to the addressees letter-post items which senders post or cause to be posted in large quantities in a country other than the country where they reside if the amount of terminal dues to be received is lower than the sum that would have been received if the mail had been posted in the country where the senders reside. The designated operator of destination may claim from the designated operator of posting payment commensurate with the costs incurred and which may not exceed the higher of the following two amounts: either 80% of the domestic tariff for equivalent items, or the rates applicable pursuant to article 28.15. If the designated operator of posting does not agree to pay the amount claimed within a time limit set by the designated operator of destination, the designated operator of destination may either return the items to the designated operator of posting and shall be entitled to claim reimbursement of the redirection costs, or handle them in accordance with its national legislation. ### Artikel 13 @@ -212,13 +212,23 @@ Closed letter-post mails may be exchanged through the intermediary of the land, ### Artikel 14 -**1.** Member countries or their designated operators shall establish, publish and update delivery standards and targets for their inward letter-post items and parcel-post items in the relevant compendia as specified in the Regulations. +**0bis.** Quality of service -**2.** These standards and targets, increased by the time normally required for customs clearance, shall be no less favourable than those applied to comparable items in their domestic service. +**0bis.1.** Quality of service shall include activities that are focused on all dimensions of service delivery, for efficient and accessible universal postal services of quality. -**3.** Member countries or their designated operators of origin shall also establish and publish end-to-end standards for priority and airmail letter-post items as well as for parcels and economy/surface parcels. +**0bis.2.** Quality of service activities shall include, without limitation, measurement, quality improvement, certification and compliance actions, driven by e-commerce and a robust and reliable network focusing on demand, and supply chain management. -**4.** Member countries or their designated operators shall measure the application of quality of service standards. +**0ter.** Quality of service standards and targets + +**0ter.1.** Member countries or their designated operators shall establish, publish and update delivery standards and targets for their inward letter-post items containing documents with and without mandatory tracking, as specified in the Regulations. + +**0ter.2.** Member countries or their designated operators shall establish, publish and update delivery standards and targets for inward tracked postal items containing goods, as further specified in the relevant compendia. + +**0ter.3.** Member countries or their designated operators shall also establish and publish their export standards and targets concerning their most important destinations for postal items containing goods, as further specified in the relevant compendia. + +**0ter.4.** The standards and targets, increased by the time normally required for customs clearance, shall be no less favourable than those applied to comparable items in their domestic service. + +**0ter.5.** Member countries or their designated operators shall measure the application of quality of service standards. ## Deel III. CHARGES, SURCHARGES AND EXEMPTION FROM POSTAL CHARGES @@ -304,8 +314,8 @@ Letter-post items containing goods are: Member countries shall ensure the provision of the following mandatory supplementary services: -1.1. registration service for outbound priority and airmail letter-post items; -1.2. registration service for all inbound registered letter-post items; +1.1. registration service for outbound and inbound priority and airmail letter-post items containing documents only. +1.2. (Deleted.) 1.3. tracked delivery service for inbound priority and airmail letter-post items containing goods. **2.** @@ -385,7 +395,7 @@ Dangerous goods Live animals 4.1 Live animals shall be prohibited in all categories of items. -4.2 Exceptionally, the following shall be admitted in letter-post items other than insured items: +4.2. Exceptionally, the following shall be admitted in letter-post items other than registered and insured items: 4.2.1 bees, leeches and silk-worms; 4.2.2 parasites and destroyers of noxious insects intended for the control of those insects and exchanged between officially recognized institutions; @@ -410,7 +420,8 @@ Coins, bank notes and other valuable articles 6.1.1 in uninsured letter-post items; -6.1.1.1 however, if the national legislation of the countries of origin and destination permits this, such articles may be sent in a closed envelope as registered items; +6.1.1.1 however, if the national legislation of the countries of origin and destination permits this, any of the valuable articles mentioned in 6.1 and corresponding to documents only may be sent in a closed envelope as registered items; +6.1.1bis in insured letter-post items, except for any of the valuable articles mentioned in 6.1 and corresponding to documents only, which may be sent in a closed envelope as insured items if the national legislation of the countries of origin and destination permits this; 6.1.2 in uninsured parcels; except where permitted by the national legislation of the countries of origin and destination; 6.1.3 in uninsured parcels exchanged between two countries which admit insured parcels; @@ -455,9 +466,9 @@ General 1.1 Except for the cases provided for in article 23, designated operators shall be liable for: -1.1.1 the loss of, theft from or damage to registered items, ordinary parcels (with the exception of parcels in the e-commerce delivery category (“ECOMPRO parcels”), whose specifications are further defined in the Regulations) and insured items; +1.1.1 the loss of, theft from or damage to registered items, ordinary parcels and insured items; 1.1.2 the return of registered items, insured items and ordinary parcels on which the reason for non-delivery is not given. -1.2 Designated operators shall not be liable for items other than those mentioned in 1.1.1 and 1.1.2, nor for ECOMPRO parcels. +1.2 Designated operators shall not be liable for items other than those mentioned in 1.1.1 and 1.1.2. 1.3 In any other case not provided for in this Convention, designated operators shall not be liable. 1.4 When the loss of or total damage to registered items, ordinary parcels and insured items is due to a case of force majeure for which indemnity is not payable, the sender shall be entitled to repayment of the charges paid for posting the item, with the exception of the insurance charge. 1.5 The amounts of indemnity to be paid shall not exceed the amounts mentioned in the Regulations. @@ -564,327 +575,6 @@ Member countries and designated operators shall not be liable: **1.** Closed mails and à découvert transit items exchanged between two designated operators or between two offices of the same member country by means of the services of one or more other designated operators (third party services) shall be subject to the payment of transit charges. The latter shall constitute remuneration for the services rendered in respect of land transit, sea transit and air transit. This principle shall also apply to missent items and misrouted mails. -### Hoofdstuk B. TERMINAL DUES - -### Artikel 28 - -**1.** Subject to exemptions provided in the Regulations, each designated operator which receives letter-post items from another designated operator shall have the right to collect from the dispatching designated operator a payment for the costs incurred for the international mail received. - -**2.** - -For the application of the provisions concerning the payment of terminal dues by their designated operators, countries and territories shall be classified in accordance with the lists drawn up for this purpose by Congress in its resolution C 7/2016, as follows: - -2.1 countries and territories in the target system prior to 2010 (group I); -2.2 countries and territories in the target system as of 2010 and 2012 (group II); -2.3 countries and territories in the target system as from 2016 (group III); -2.4 countries and territories in the transitional system (group IV). - -**3.** The provisions of the present Convention concerning the payment of terminal dues are transitional arrangements, moving towards a country-specific payment system at the end of the transition period. - -**4.** - -Access to domestic services. Direct access - -4.1 In principle, each designated operator of a country that was in the target system prior to 2010 shall make available to the other designated operators all the rates, terms and conditions offered in its domestic service on conditions identical to those proposed to its national customers. It shall be up to the designated operator of destination to decide whether the terms and conditions of direct access have been met by the designated operator of origin. -4.2 Designated operators of countries in the target system prior to 2010 shall make available to other designated operators of countries that were in the target system prior to 2010 the rates, terms and conditions offered in their domestic service, on conditions identical to those proposed to their national customers. -4.3 Designated operators of countries that joined the target system from 2010 may opt to make available to a limited number of designated operators the application of domestic conditions, on a reciprocal basis, for a trial period of two years. After that period, they must choose either to cease making available the application of domestic conditions or to continue to make their own domestic conditions available to all designated operators. However, if designated operators of countries that joined the target system from 2010 ask designated operators of countries that were in the target system prior to 2010 for the application of domestic conditions, they must make available to all designated operators the rates, terms and conditions offered in their domestic service on conditions identical to those proposed to their national customers. -4.4 Designated operators of countries in the transitional system may opt not to make available to other designated operators the application of domestic conditions. They may, however, opt to make available to a limited number of designated operators the application of domestic conditions, on a reciprocal basis, for a trial period of two years. After that period, they must choose either to cease making available the application of domestic conditions or to continue to make their own domestic conditions available to all designated operators. - -**5.** Terminal dues remuneration shall be based on quality of service performance in the country of destination. The Postal Operations Council shall therefore be authorized to supplement the remuneration in articles 29, 30 and 31 to encourage participation in monitoring systems and to reward designated operators for reaching their quality targets. The Postal Operations Council may also fix penalties in case of insufficient quality, but the remuneration shall not be less than the minimum remuneration according to articles 30 and 31. - -**6.** Any designated operator may waive wholly or in part the payment provided for under 1. - -**7.** - -M bags weighing less than 5 kilogrammes shall be considered as weighing 5 kilogrammes for terminal dues payment purposes. The terminal dues rates to be applied for M bags shall be: - -7.1 for the year 2022, 1.016 SDR per kilogramme; -7.2 for the year 2023, 1.044 SDR per kilogramme; -7.3 for the year 2024, 1.073 SDR per kilogramme; -7.4 for the year 2025, 1.103 SDR per kilogramme. - -**8.** For registered items there shall be an additional payment of 1.463 SDR per item for 2022, 1.529 SDR per item for 2023, 1.598 SDR per item for 2024 and 1.670 SDR for 2025. For insured items, there shall be an additional payment of 1.777 SDR per item for 2022, 1.857 SDR per item for 2023, 1.941 SDR per item for 2024 and 2.028 SDR for 2025. The Postal Operations Council shall be authorized to supplement remuneration for these and other supplementary services where the services provided contain additional features to be specified in the Regulations. - -**9.** For tracked delivery service items there shall be an additional payment of 0.400 SDR per item in accordance with the conditions specified in the Regulations. The Postal Operations Council shall be authorized to supplement remuneration for tracked delivery service items on the basis of performance in the electronic transmission of information, as specified in the Regulations. - -**10.** For small packets, registered and insured and tracked delivery service items not carrying a barcoded identifier or carrying a barcoded identifier that is not compliant with the Union’s Technical Standard S10, there shall be a further additional payment of 0.5 SDR per item unless otherwise bilaterally agreed. - -**11.** The Postal Operations Council shall be authorized to supplement remuneration and/or fix penalties in relation to designated operators’ compliance with the requirements for providing electronic advance data on letter-post items containing goods. - -**12.** The remuneration for returned undeliverable letter-post items shall be specified in the Regulations. - -**13.** For terminal dues payment purposes, letter-post items posted in bulk in accordance with the conditions specified in the Regulations shall be referred to as “bulk mail”. The payment for bulk mail shall be established as provided for in articles 29, 30 and 31, as appropriate. - -**14.** Any designated operator may, by bilateral or multilateral agreement, apply other payment systems for the settlement of terminal dues accounts. - -**15.** Designated operators may exchange non-priority mail on an optional basis by applying a 10% discount to the priority terminal dues rate. - -**16.** The provisions applicable between designated operators of countries in the target system shall apply to any designated operator of a country in the transitional system which declares that it wishes to join the target system. The Postal Operations Council may set transitional measures in the Regulations. The full provisions of the target system may apply to any new target designated operator that declares that it wishes to apply such full provisions without transitional measures. - -### Artikel 29 - -**1.** - -Beginning with rates in effect for the year 2021 onwards and notwithstanding articles 30 and 31, designated operators may notify the International Bureau by 1 June of the year preceding the year in which the self-declared rates would apply of a self-declared rate per item and a self-declared rate per kilogramme, expressed in local currency or SDR, that shall apply for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items in the following calendar year. The International Bureau shall annually convert the self-declared rates provided in local currency into values expressed in SDR. To calculate the rates in SDR, the International Bureau shall use the average monthly exchange rate of the five-month period ending 31 March of the year preceding the year for which the self-declared rates would be applicable. The resultant rates shall be notified by means of an International Bureau circular no later than 1 July of the year preceding the year in which the self-declared rates would apply. The self-declared rates for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items shall be substituted as appropriate in any reference or rate calculation pertaining to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items elsewhere in the Convention or the Regulations. Additionally, each designated operator shall provide the International Bureau with its domestic rates for equivalent services in order to calculate the relevant ceiling rates. - -1.1 Subject to 1.2 and 1.3, the self-declared rates shall: - -1.1.1 at the average E format weight of 0.158 kilogrammes, not be higher than the country-specific ceiling rates calculated in accordance with paragraph 1.2; -1.1.2 be based on 70%, or the applicable percentage in paragraph 8, of the domestic single-piece charge for items equivalent to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items offered by the designated operator in its domestic service and in effect on 1 June of the year preceding the year for which the self-declared rates would be applicable; -1.1.3 be based on the domestic single-piece charge in force for items within the designated operator’s domestic service having the specified maximum size and shape dimensions of bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items; -1.1.4 be made available to all designated operators; -1.1.5 be applied only to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items; -1.1.6 be applied to all bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post flows other than bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post flows from countries in the transitional system to countries in the target system, and between countries in the transitional system, if mail flows do not exceed 100 tonnes per year; -1.1.7 be applied to all bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post flows except for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post flows between countries in the target system as from 2010, 2012 and 2016, and from those countries to countries in the target system prior to 2010, if mail flows do not exceed 25 tonnes per year. -1.2 The self-declared rates per item and per kilogramme for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items shall not be higher than the country-specific ceiling rates determined by a linear regression of 11 points corresponding to 70%, or the applicable percentage in paragraph 8, of the priority single-piece tariffs of equivalent domestic services for 20-gramme, 35-gramme, 75-gramme, 175-gramme, 250-gramme, 375-gramme, 500-gramme, 750-gramme, 1,000-gramme, 1,500-gramme and 2,000-gramme bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items, exclusive of any taxes. - -1.2.1 The determination of whether the self-declared rates exceed the ceiling rates shall be tested at the average revenue using the most current worldwide average composition of one kilogramme of mail in which an E format item weighs 0.158 kilogrammes. In instances in which the self-declared rates exceed the ceiling rates at the average E format weight of 0.158 kilogrammes, the ceiling per-item and per kilogramme rates shall apply; alternatively, the designated operator in question may choose to reduce its self-declared rates to a level that conforms with paragraph 1.2. -1.2.2 When multiple packet rates are available based on thickness, the lesser domestic tariff shall be used for items up to 250 grammes, and the higher domestic tariff shall be used for items above 250 grammes. -1.2.3 Where zonal rates apply in the equivalent domestic service, the mid-point rate as specified in the Regulations shall be used, and domestic tariffs for non-contiguous zones shall be excluded for determination of the mid-point rate. Alternatively, the determination of the zonal tariff to be used may be based on the actual weighted average distance of inbound bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items (for the most recent calendar year). -1.2.4 Where the equivalent domestic service and tariff include additional features that are not part of the basic service, i.e. tracking, signature and insurance services, and such features are extended across all the weight increments listed in paragraph 1.2, the lesser of the corresponding domestic supplemental rate, the supplemental rate, or the suggested guideline charge in the Acts of the Union shall be deducted from the domestic tariff. The total deduction for all additional features may not exceed 25% of the domestic tariff. -1.3 Where the country-specific ceiling rates calculated in accordance with paragraph 1.2 result in a revenue calculated for an E format item at 0.158 kilogrammes that is lower than the revenue calculated for the same item at the same weight on the basis of the rates specified below, the self-declared rates shall not be higher than the following rates: - -1.3.1 for the year 2020, 0.614 SDR per item and 1.381 SDR per kilogramme; -1.3.2 for the year 2021, 0.645 SDR per item and 1.450 SDR per kilogramme; -1.3.3 for the year 2022, 0.677 SDR per item and 1.523 SDR per kilogramme; -1.3.4 for the year 2023, 0.711 SDR per item and 1.599 SDR per kilogramme; -1.3.5 for the year 2024, 0.747 SDR per item and 1.679 SDR per kilogramme; -1.3.6 for the year 2025, 0.784 SDR per item and 1.763 SDR per kilogramme. -1.4 Any additional conditions and procedures for the self-declaration of rates applicable to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items shall be laid down in the Regulations. All other provisions of the Regulations pertaining to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items shall apply to self-declared rates, unless they are inconsistent with this article. -1.5 Designated operators of countries in the transitional system may apply self-declared rates on the basis of sampling of their inbound flows. - -**2.** - -In addition to the ceiling rates provided for in 1.2, the notified self-declared rates shall not be higher than the maximum revenues defined for the years 2021 to 2025, as follows: - -2.1 2021: the revenue calculated on the basis of the self-declared rates shall be set at the lowest between the country-specific ceiling rates and the revenue in 2020 for an E format item at 0.158 kilogrammes increased by 15%; -2.2 2022: the revenue calculated on the basis of the self-declared rates shall be set at the lowest between the country-specific ceiling rates and the revenue in 2021 for an E format item at 0.158 kilogrammes increased by 15%; -2.3 2023: the revenue calculated on the basis of the self-declared rates shall be set at the lowest between the country-specific ceiling rates and the revenue in 2022 for an E format item at 0.158 kilogrammes increased by 16%; -2.4 2024: the revenue calculated on the basis of the self-declared rates shall be set at the lowest between the country-specific ceiling rates and the revenue in 2023 for an E format item at 0.158 kilogrammes increased by 16%; -2.5 2025: the revenue calculated on the basis of the self-declared rates shall be set at the lowest between the country-specific ceiling rates and the revenue in 2024 for an E format item at 0.158 kilogrammes increased by 17%. - -**3.** For rates in effect in 2021 and subsequent years, the ratio between the self-declared item rate and kilogramme rate shall not change by more than five percentage points upwards or downwards compared with the ratio of the previous year. For designated operators that self-declare rates under paragraph 7 or apply self-declared rates on a reciprocal basis under paragraph 9, the ratio in effect in 2020 shall be based on the self-declared per-item rate and per-kilogramme rate established as of 1 July 2020. - -**4.** Designated operators that opt not to self-declare their rates in accordance with this article shall fully apply the provisions contained in articles 30 and 31. - -**5.** For designated operators that have elected to self-declare their rates for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items in a prior calendar year and that do not communicate different self-declared rates for the subsequent year, the existing self-declared rates shall continue to apply unless they do not satisfy the conditions laid out in this article. - -**6.** The International Bureau shall be informed by the designated operator concerned of any reduction in the domestic charge referred to in this article. - -**7.** With effect from 1 July 2020, and notwithstanding paragraphs 1 and 2, a designated operator of a member country that received total annual inbound letter-post volumes in 2018 in excess of 75,000 tonnes (as per the relevant official information provided to the International Bureau or any other officially available information assessed by the International Bureau) may self-declare rates for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items, other than for the letter-post flows referred to in paragraphs 1.1.6 and 1.1.7. The said designated operator shall also have the right not to apply the revenue increase limits set out in paragraph 2 for mail flows to, from and between its country and any other country. - -**8.** If a competent authority with oversight for the designated operator which exercises the aforementioned option in paragraph 7 determines that, in order to cover all costs for handling and delivery of bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items, the designated operator’s self-declared rate any year after 2020 must be based on a cost-to-tariff ratio that exceeds 70% of the domestic single-piece charge, then the cost-to-tariff ratio for that designated operator may exceed 70%, subject to a limitation that the cost-to-tariff ratio to be used shall not exceed one percentage point above the higher of 70% or the cost-to-tariff ratio used in the calculation of the self-declared rates currently in effect, not to exceed 80%, and provided that the designated operator in question furnishes all such supporting information with its notification to the International Bureau under paragraph 1. If any such designated operator increases its cost-to-tariff ratio based on such a determination of a competent authority, then it shall notify the International Bureau of that ratio for publication by 1 May of the year preceding the year in which the ratio shall apply. Further specifications related to the costs and revenues to be used for the calculation of the specific cost-to-tariff ratio shall be provided in the Regulations. - -**9.** Where a designated operator of a member country invokes paragraph 7, all other corresponding designated operators (including those whose exempted outbound flows are referred to in paragraphs 1.1.6 and 1.1.7) may do likewise and self-declare rates for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items with respect to the aforementioned designated operator without being subject to the maximum revenue increase limits set out in paragraph 2. Paragraph 8 of this article shall also apply to all such corresponding designated operators. With respect to any such corresponding designated operators that elect to apply self-declared rates under this paragraph 9 (including those whose outbound flows are optionally eligible for exemption under paragraphs 1.1.6 and 1.1.7), the self-declared rates of the designated operator that invoked paragraph 7 shall reciprocally apply. - -**10.** - -Any designated operator that invokes the possibility outlined in paragraph 7 shall, in the calendar year of the entry into force of the initial rates, be required to pay a charge to the Union, for five consecutive years (beginning with the calendar year of application of the option referred to above under 7), in the amount of 8 million CHF per annum, for a total of 40 million CHF. No further payment shall be expected for self-declaration of rates in accordance with this paragraph after the conclusion of the five-year period. - -10.1 The charge referred to above shall be exclusively allocated in accordance with the following methodology: 16 million CHF shall be allocated to a tied fund of the Union for the implementation of projects aimed at electronic advance data and postal security under the terms of a letter of agreement executed between the said designated operator and the Union; and 24 million CHF shall be allocated to a tied fund for the purposes of funding long-term liabilities of the Union, as further defined by the Council of Administration, under the terms of a letter of agreement executed between the said designated operator and the Union. -10.2 The charge set forth in this paragraph shall not apply to those designated operators of member countries that apply self-declared rates reciprocally under paragraph 9 as a consequence of another designated operator exercising the option to self-declare rates in accordance with paragraph 7. -10.3 The designated operator paying the charge shall inform the International Bureau each year how the sum of 8 million CHF per annum is to be allocated, provided that the five annual allocations are distributed as set out above, pursuant to the said letter of agreement. A designated operator that exercises the option to self-declare rates in accordance with paragraph 7 shall be provided with due reporting of the expenditures related to the charge remitted, pursuant to this paragraph, under the terms of a letter of agreement executed between the said designated operator and the Union. - -**11.** If a designated operator exercises the option to self-declare rates in accordance with paragraph 7, or if a designated operator reciprocally applies a self-declared rate under paragraph 9, then simultaneously with the introduction of self-declared rates, the said designated operator should consider making available to sending designated operators of Union member countries, on a non-discriminatory basis, proportionately adjusted charges for volume and distance, to the extent practicable and available in the receiving country’s published domestic service for similar services under a mutually agreeable bilateral commercial agreement, within the framework of the rules of the national regulatory authority. - -**12.** No reservations may be made to this article. - -### Artikel 30 - -**1.** Payment for letter-post items, including bulk mail but excluding M bags and IBRS items, shall be established on the basis of the application of the rates per item and per kilogramme reflecting the handling costs in the country of destination. Charges corresponding to priority items in the domestic service which are part of the universal service provision will be used as a basis for the calculation of terminal dues rates. - -**2.** The terminal dues rates in the target system shall be calculated taking into account, where applicable in the domestic service, the classification of items based on their format, as provided for in article 17.5 of the Convention. - -**3.** Designated operators in the target system shall exchange format-separated mails in accordance with the conditions specified in the Regulations. - -**4.** Payment for IBRS items shall be as described in the Regulations. - -**5.** The rates per item and per kilogramme are separated for small (P) and large (G) letter-post items and bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items. They shall be calculated on the basis of 70% of the charges for a 20-gramme small (P) letter-post item and for a 175-gramme large (G) letter-post item, exclusive of VAT or other taxes. For bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items, they shall be calculated from the P/G format line at 375 grammes, exclusive of VAT or other taxes. - -**6.** The Postal Operations Council shall define the conditions for the calculation of the rates as well as the necessary operational, statistical and accounting procedures for the exchange of format-separated mails. - -**7.** The rates applied for flows between countries in the target system in a given year shall not lead to an increase of more than 13% in the terminal dues revenue for a letter-post item in the P/G format of 37.6 grammes and in the E format of 375 grammes, compared to the previous year. - -**8.** - -The rates applied for flows between countries in the target system prior to 2010 for small (P) and for large (G) letter-post items may not be higher than: - -8.1 for the year 2022, 0.380 SDR per item and 2.966 SDR per kilogramme; -8.2 for the year 2023, 0.399 SDR per item and 3.114 SDR per kilogramme; -8.3 for the year 2024, 0.419 SDR per item and 3.270 SDR per kilogramme; -8.4 for the year 2025, 0.440 SDR per item and 3.434 SDR per kilogramme. - -**9.** - -The rates applied for flows between countries in the target system for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items may not be higher than: - -9.1 for the year 2022, 0.864 SDR per item and 1.942 SDR per kilogramme; -9.2 for the year 2023, 0.950 SDR per item and 2.136 SDR per kilogramme; -9.3 for the year 2024, 1.045 SDR per item and 2.350 SDR per kilogramme; -9.4 for the year 2025, 1.150 SDR per item and 2.585 SDR per kilogramme. - -**10.** - -The rates applied for flows between countries in the target system for small (P) and for large (G) letter-post items may not be lower than: - -10.1 for the year 2022, 0.272 SDR per item and 2.121 SDR per kilogramme; -10.2 for the year 2023, 0.292 SDR per item and 2.280 SDR per kilogramme; -10.3 for the year 2024, 0.314 SDR per item and 2.451 SDR per kilogramme; -10.4 for the year 2025, 0.330 SDR per item and 2.574 SDR per kilogramme. - -**11.** - -The rates applied for flows between countries in the target system for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items may not be lower than: - -11.1 for the year 2022, 0.677 SDR per item and 1.523 SDR per kilogramme; -11.2 for the year 2023, 0.711 SDR per item and 1.599 SDR per kilogramme; -11.3 for the year 2024, 0.747 SDR per item and 1.679 SDR per kilogramme; -11.4 for the year 2025, 0.784 SDR per item and 1.763 SDR per kilogramme. - -**12.** - -The rates applied for flows between countries in the target system as from 2010 and 2012 as well as between these countries and countries in the target system prior to 2010 for small (P) and for large (G) letter-post items may not be higher than: - -12.1 for the year 2022, 0.342 SDR per item and 2.672 SDR per kilogramme; -12.2 for the year 2023, 0.372 SDR per item and 2.905 SDR per kilogramme; -12.3 for the year 2024, 0.404 SDR per item and 3.158 SDR per kilogramme; -12.4 for the year 2025, 0.440 SDR per item and 3.434 SDR per kilogramme. - -**13.** - -The rates applied for flows between countries in the target system as from 2016 as well as between these countries and countries in the target system prior to 2010 or as from 2010 and 2012 for small (P) and for large (G) letter-post items may not be higher than: - -13.1 for the year 2022, 0.313 SDR per item and 2.443 SDR per kilogramme; -13.2 for the year 2023, 0.351 SDR per item and 2.738 SDR per kilogramme; -13.3 for the year 2024, 0.393 SDR per item and 3.068 SDR per kilogramme; -13.4 for the year 2025, 0.440 SDR per item and 3.434 SDR per kilogramme. - -**14.** - -For flows below 50 tonnes a year between countries that joined the target system in 2010, 2012 and 2016, as well as between these countries and countries that were in the target system prior to 2010, the per kilogramme and per-item components shall be converted into a total rate per kilogramme on the basis of a worldwide average composition of one kilogramme of mail in which P and G format items account for - -3.97 items weighing 0.14 kilogrammes and E format items account for 5.45 items weighing 0.86 kilogrammes. - -**15.** The terminal dues rates applicable to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items that have been self-declared pursuant to article 29 shall substitute the rates pertaining to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items in this article; consequently, the provisions laid down in paragraphs 7, 9 and 11 shall not apply. - -**16.** The payment for bulk mail sent to countries in the target system prior to 2010 shall be established by applying the rates per item and per kilogramme provided for in paragraphs 5 to 11 or article 29, as appropriate. - -**17.** The payment for bulk mail sent to countries in the target system as from 2010, 2012 and 2016 shall be established by applying the rates per item and per kilogramme provided for in paragraphs 5 and 10 to 13 or article 29, as appropriate. - -**18.** No reservations may be made to this article. - -### Artikel 31 - -**1.** In preparation for the entry into the target system of the designated operators of countries in the terminal dues transitional system, payment for letter-post items, including bulk mail but excluding M bags and IBRS items, shall be established on the basis of a rate per item and a rate per kilogramme. - -**2.** Other than for the terminal dues rates applicable to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items that have been self-declared pursuant to article 29, the provisions of article 30, paragraphs 1 to 3, 9 and 10, shall apply for the calculation of rates per item and per kilogramme applicable to small (P), large (G), bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items. - -**3.** The rates applied for flows to, from and between countries in the transitional system in a given year shall not lead to an increase of more than 15.5% in the terminal dues revenue for a letter-post item in the P/G format of 37.6 grammes, and more than 13% in the terminal dues revenue for a letter-post item in the E format of 375 grammes, compared to the previous year. - -**4.** Payment for IBRS items shall be as described in the Regulations. - -**5.** - -The rates applied for flows to, from and between countries in the transitional system for small (P) and for large (G) letter-post items may not be higher than: - -5.1 for the year 2022, 0.285 SDR per item and 2.227 SDR per kilogramme; -5.2 for the year 2023, 0.329 SDR per item and 2.573 SDR per kilogramme; -5.3 for the year 2024, 0.380 SDR per item and 2.973 SDR per kilogramme; -5.4 for the year 2025, 0.440 SDR per item and 3.434 SDR per kilogramme. - -**6.** - -The rates applied for flows to, from and between countries in the transitional system for small (P) and for large (G) letter-post items may not be lower than: - -6.1 for the year 2022, 0.272 SDR per item and 2.121 SDR per kilogramme; -6.2 for the year 2023, 0.292 SDR per item and 2.280 SDR per kilogramme; -6.3 for the year 2024, 0.314 SDR per item and 2.451 SDR per kilogramme; -6.4 for the year 2025, 0.330 SDR per item and 2.574 SDR per kilogramme. - -**7.** - -Other than for the terminal dues rates applicable to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items that have been self-declared pursuant to article 29 and in accordance with 2 above, the rates applied for flows to, from and between countries in the transitional system for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items may not be higher than: - -7.1 for the year 2022, 0.864 SDR per item and 1.942 SDR per kilogramme; -7.2 for the year 2023, 0.950 SDR per item and 2.136 SDR per kilogramme; -7.3 for the year 2024, 1.045 SDR per item and 2.350 SDR per kilogramme; -7.4 for the year 2025, 1.150 SDR per item and 2.585 SDR per kilogramme. - -**8.** - -Other than for the terminal dues rates applicable to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items that have been self-declared pursuant to article 29 and in accordance with 2 above, the rates applied for flows to, from and between countries in the transitional system for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items may not be lower than: - -8.1 for the year 2022, 0.677 SDR per item and 1.523 SDR per kilogramme; -8.2 for the year 2023, 0.711 SDR per item and 1.599 SDR per kilogramme; -8.3 for the year 2024, 0.747 SDR per item and 1.679 SDR per kilogramme; -8.4 for the year 2025, 0.784 SDR per item and 1.763 SDR per kilogramme. - -**9.** - -Other than for the terminal dues rates applicable to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items that have been self-declared pursuant to article 29, the per-kilogramme and per-item components shall be converted into a total rate per kilogramme on the basis of a worldwide average composition of one kilogramme of mail as follows: - -9.1 for the year 2022, not lower than 6.376 SDR per kilogramme and not higher than 7.822 SDR per kilogramme; -9.2 for the year 2023, not lower than 6.729 SDR per kilogramme and not higher than 8.681 SDR per kilogramme; -9.3 for the year 2024, not lower than 7.105 SDR per kilogramme and not higher than 9.641 SDR per kilogramme; -9.4 for the year 2025, not lower than 7.459 SDR per kilogramme and not higher than 10.718 SDR per kilogramme. - -**10.** Other than for the terminal dues rates applicable to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items that have been self-declared pursuant to article 29, the flat rate per kilogramme shall be applied if neither the designated operator of origin nor the designated operator of destination requests the revision mechanism in order to revise the rate on the basis of the actual number of items per kilogramme, rather than the worldwide average. The sampling for the revision mechanism shall be applied in accordance with the conditions specified in the Regulations. - -**11.** - -For mail flows from and between countries in the transitional system below 100 tonnes a year, the total rate per kilogramme shall be as follows: - -11.1 for the year 2022, 6.376 SDR per kilogramme; -11.2 for the year 2023, 6.729 SDR per kilogramme; -11.3 for the year 2024, 7.105 SDR per kilogramme; -11.4 for the year 2025, 7.459 SDR per kilogramme. - -**12.** For mail flows from countries in the target system to countries in the transitional system below 100 tonnes a year where terminal dues rates applicable to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items have been self-declared pursuant to article 29, the per-kilogramme and per-item components shall be converted into a total rate per kilogramme on the basis of a worldwide average composition of one kilogramme of mail, as referred to in article 30.14, except for the flows in 29.1.5 of 50 tonnes and above where the country in the transitional system samples its inbound flow. - -**13.** For mail flows to, from and between countries in the transitional system above 100 tonnes a year where terminal dues rates applicable to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items have been self-declared pursuant to article 29 and where the country of destination decides not to sample the inbound mail, the per kilogramme and per-item components shall be converted into a total rate per kilogramme on the basis of a worldwide average composition of one kilogramme of mail, as referred to in article 30.14. - -**14.** Except for the mail flows described in paragraph 12, the terminal dues rates applicable to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items that have been self-declared pursuant to article 29 shall substitute the rates pertaining to bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items in this article; consequently, the provisions laid down in paragraphs 7, 8 and 10 shall not apply. - -**15.** The downward revision of the total rate in paragraph 10 may not be invoked by a country in the target system against a country in the transitional system unless the latter asks for a revision in the opposite direction. - -**16.** For mail flows to, from and between countries in the transitional system that are below 100 tonnes per year, designated operators may send and receive format-separated mail on an optional basis, in accordance with the conditions specified in the Regulations. In the case of format-separated exchanges the rates in paragraphs 5, 6, 7 and 8 above shall apply if the designated operator of destination opts not to self-declare rates pursuant to article 29. - -**17.** The payment for bulk mail to designated operators of countries in the target system shall be established by applying the rates per item and per kilogramme provided for in article 29 or 30. For bulk mail received, designated operators in the transitional system may request payment according to paragraphs 5, 6, 7 and 8 above and article 29, as appropriate. - -**18.** No reservations may be made to this article. - -### Artikel 32 - -**1.** Terminal dues payable by all countries and territories to the countries classified as least developed countries and included in group IV for terminal dues and Quality of Service Fund (QSF) purposes, except for M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail items, shall be increased by 20% of the rates provided for in article 29 or 31 for payment into the QSF for improving the quality of service in those countries. There shall be no such payment from one group IV country to another group IV country. - -**2.** Terminal dues, except for M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail items, payable by countries and territories classified as group I countries to the countries classified as group IV countries, other than the least developed countries referred to in paragraph 1 of this article, shall be increased by 10% of the rates provided for in article 29 or 31, for payment into the QSF for improving the quality of service in those countries. - -**3.** Terminal dues, except for M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail items, payable by countries and territories classified as group II countries to the countries classified as group IV countries, other than the least developed countries referred to in paragraph 1 of this article, shall be increased by 10% of the rates provided for in article 29 or 31, for payment into the QSF for improving the quality of service in those countries. - -**4.** Terminal dues, except in respect of M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail items, payable by countries and territories classified as group III countries to the countries classified as group IV countries, other than the least developed countries referred to in paragraph 1 of this article, shall be increased by 5% of the rates provided for in article 29 or 31, for payment into the QSF for improving the quality of service in those countries. - -**5.** An increase of 1%, calculated on the basis of terminal dues payable by countries and territories classified as group I, II and III countries to the countries classified as group III countries, except in respect of M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail items, shall be paid into a common fund to be established for improving the quality of service in countries classified in groups II, III and IV and managed in accordance with the relevant procedures set by the Postal Operations Council. - -**6.** An increase of 0.5%, calculated on the basis of terminal dues payable by countries and territories classified as group I, II and III countries to the countries classified as group III countries, except in respect of M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail items, shall be paid into a special account to be established as part of the common fund referred to in paragraph 5, specifically for improving the quality of service in group IV countries classified by the United Nations as least developed countries and managed in accordance with the relevant procedures set by the Postal Operations Council. - -**7.** Subject to the relevant procedures set by the Postal Operations Council, any unused amounts contributed under paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of this article and accumulated over the four preceding QSF reference years (with 2018 as the earliest reference year) shall also be transferred to the common fund referred to in paragraph 5 of this article. For the purposes of this paragraph, only funds that have not been used in QSF-approved quality of service projects within two years following receipt of the last payment of contributed amounts for any given four-year period as defined above shall be transferred to the aforementioned common fund. - -**8.** The combined terminal dues payable into the QSF for improving the quality of service of countries in group IV shall be subject to a minimum of 20,000 SDR per annum for each beneficiary country. The additional funds needed for reaching this minimum amount shall be invoiced, in proportion to the volumes exchanged, to the countries in groups I, II and III. - -**9.** The Postal Operations Council shall adopt or update, by December 2021 at the latest, procedures for financing QSF projects. - -### Hoofdstuk C. RATES FOR PARCEL POST - -### Artikel 33 - -**1.** - -With the exception of ECOMPRO parcels, parcels exchanged between two designated operators shall be subject to inward land rates calculated by combining the base rate per parcel and base rate per kilogramme laid down in the Regulations. - -1.1 Bearing in mind the above base rates, designated operators may, in addition, be authorized to claim supplementary rates per parcel and per kilogramme in accordance with provisions laid down in the Regulations. -1.2 The rates mentioned in 1 and 1.1 shall be payable by the designated operator of the country of origin, unless the Regulations provide for exceptions to this principle. -1.3 The inward land rates shall be uniform for the whole of the territory of each country. - **2.** Parcels exchanged between two designated operators or between two offices of the same country by means of the land services of one or more other designated operators shall be subject to the transit land rates, payable to the designated operators which take part in the routeing on land, laid down in the Regulations, according to the distance step applicable. @@ -892,12 +582,382 @@ Parcels exchanged between two designated operators or between two offices of the 2.1 For parcels in transit à découvert, intermediate designated operators shall be authorized to claim the single rate per item laid down in the Regulations. 2.2 Transit land rates shall be payable by the designated operator of the country of origin unless the Regulations provide for exceptions to this principle. +### Artikel 27bis + +**1.** Subject to exemptions provided for in the Regulations, each designated operator that receives postal items from another designated operator shall have the right to collect from the dispatching designated operator a payment for the costs incurred for postal items received. + +**2.** + +For the application of the provisions concerning the payment of remuneration by their designated operators, countries and territories shall be classified in accordance with the lists drawn up for this purpose by Congress in its resolution C 4/2025, as follows: + +2.1 countries and territories in the target system prior to 2010 (group A); +2.2 countries and territories in the target system as of 2010, 2012 and 2016 (group B); +2.3 countries and territories in the target system as from 2027 (group C). + +**3.** Remuneration shall be based on quality of service performance in the country of destination. The Postal Operations Council shall therefore be authorized to supplement the remuneration in articles 28, 29, 30 and 33 to encourage participation in monitoring systems and to reward designated operators for reaching their quality targets. The Postal Operations Council may also fix penalties in case of insufficient quality, but the remuneration shall not be less than the minimum remuneration according to articles 28, 29, 30 and 33. + +**4.** Any receiving designated operator may waive, wholly or in part, the payment provided for under 1. + +**5.** The Postal Operations Council shall be authorized to supplement remuneration and/or fix penalties in relation to designated operators’ compliance with the requirements for providing electronic advance data on small packet (E) letter-post items and parcels. + +**6.** Any designated operator may, by bilateral or multilateral agreement, apply other payment systems for the settlement of remuneration accounts. + +**7.** Designated operators may apply an optional 10% discount to the priority terminal dues rate for the exchange of non-priority mail. + +**8.** + +Access to domestic services. Direct access + +8.1 In principle, each designated operator of a country in group A shall make available to the other designated operators the rates, terms and conditions offered in its domestic service on conditions identical to those proposed to its domestic customers. It shall be up to the designated operator of destination to decide whether the terms and conditions of direct access have been met by the designated operator of origin. +8.2 Designated operators of countries in groups B and C may opt to make available to a limited number of designated operators the application of domestic conditions for a trial period of two years. After that period, they must choose either to cease making available the application of domestic conditions or to continue to make their own domestic conditions available to all designated operators. +8.3 If designated operators of countries in groups B and C ask designated operators of countries in group A for the application of domestic conditions, they must make available to all designated operators the rates, terms and conditions offered in their domestic service on conditions identical to those proposed to their domestic customers. + +**9.** Beginning with rates in effect from 2027, for insured parcels, there shall be an additional payment of 1.500 SDR per item in accordance with provisions laid down in the Regulations. The additional payment shall be reduced to 0.300 SDR per item where the tariffs notified under article 33.1.2 are inclusive of proof of delivery. Designated operators that apply the charge on the basis of the provisions in article 33.8.1 shall receive the amount in accordance with that article, increased by 0.300 SDR. + +### Hoofdstuk B. TERMINAL DUES + +### Artikel 28 + +**1.** Payment for letter-post items, including bulk mail but excluding M bags and IBRS items, shall be established on the basis of the application of the rates per item and per kilogramme reflecting the handling costs in the country of destination. Charges corresponding to priority items in the domestic service which are part of the universal service provision will be used as a basis for the calculation of terminal dues rates. + +**2.** + +The terminal dues rates shall be calculated taking into account, where applicable in the domestic service, the classification of items based on their format, as provided for in article 17.5. + +2.1. The rates per item and per kilogramme are separated for small (P) and large (G) letter-post items and bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items. + +**3.** Designated operators shall exchange mails separated on the basis of their format and or content in accordance with the conditions specified in the Regulations. + +**4.** Payment for IBRS items shall be as described in the Regulations. + +**5.** + +In 2026, the per-item and per-kilogramme components shall be converted into a total rate per kilogramme on the basis of a worldwide average composition of one kilogramme of mail in which letter-post items containing documents (P and G format) account for 6.36 items weighing 0.265 kilogrammes and bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items account for 2.70 items weighing 0.735 kilogrammes, except for flows for which the composition of one kilogramme of mail shall be based on sampling in accordance with the conditions specified in the Regulations, as follows: + +5.1 all flows between countries in group A; +5.2 flows between countries in group B and between those countries and countries in group A above 50 tonnes; +5.3 flows between countries in group C and between those countries and countries in groups A and B above 75 tonnes. + +**6.** + +From 2027, for flows above 15 tonnes, letter-post items shall be separated on the basis of their content by creating dispatches for items containing documents (P and G format) and small packet (E) letter-post items. + +6.1 The Postal Operations Council shall define the further operational, statistical and accounting procedures for the exchange of mails separated on the basis of their format and or content. + +6.1.1 For flows below 15 tonnes, and for flows above 15 tonnes where the tonnage of documents is below 25 tonnes, between countries in Group A, format and content separation with a statistical count to ascertain the number of items based on sampling shall still be carried out should the receiving designated operator so notify the other party by 30 September of the preceding year, for application from 1 January of the following year. +6.2 Where letter-post items are separated between items containing documents (P and G format) and small packets (E), the per-item and per-kilogramme components shall be converted into a total rate per kilogramme determined on the basis of the worldwide average number of items for documents and small packet (E) letter-post items, respectively, as follows: + +6.2.1 For dispatches containing documents (P and G format): 24.06 items weighing 1 kilogramme; +6.2.2 For dispatches containing small packet (E) letter-post items: 3.66 items weighing 1 kilogramme; +6.3 For flows where the volume of documents exceeds 25 tonnes, the number of items in 6.2.1 shall be substituted by the number of items determined on the basis of sampling in accordance with the conditions specified in the Regulations. + +6.3.1 Flows sent by countries in group C that are between 15 and 75 tonnes shall apply a total rate per kilogramme for documents (P and G format) determined on the basis of the number of items described in paragraph 6.2.1 and the minimum rates in article 30.5, as follows: + +6.3.1.1 for the year 2027: 11.497 SDR per kilogramme; +6.3.1.2 for the year 2028: 12.008 SDR per kilogramme; +6.3.1.3 for the year 2029: 12.549 SDR per kilogramme; +6.3.1.4 for the year 2030: 13.120 SDR per kilogramme. +6.4 Where letter-post items are separated between items containing documents (P and G format) and small packets (E), the number of items of small packet (E) letter-post items in 6.2.2 shall be substituted by the number of items determined on the basis of census data or sampling in accordance with the conditions specified in the Regulations, with the exception of flows sent by countries in group C that are between 15 and 75 tonnes in 2027, for which the rate of 5.058 SDR per kilogramme for small packet (E) letter-post items shall apply. + +**7.** + +Beginning with rates in effect for the year 2027 onwards, for flows where items are not separated on the basis of their content, the per-item and per-kilogramme components shall be converted into a total rate per kilogramme on the basis of a worldwide average composition of one kilogramme of mail in which letter-post items containing documents (P and G format) account for 6.36 items weighing 0.265 kilogrammes and small packet (E) letter-post items account for 2.70 items weighing 0.735 kilogrammes. + +7.1 If the flow exceeds 15 tonnes and the letter-post items are not separated on the basis of their content, the designated operator of destination may determine the composition of the mail flow on the basis of sampling in accordance with the conditions specified in the Regulations. +7.2 If the flow sent by a country in group C exceeds 15 tonnes and the letter-post items are not separated on the basis of their content, the provisions in paragraph 6.3.1 and article 29.1.5.6.1 shall not apply. + +**8.** + +For mail flows sent by countries in Group C, the total rate per kilogramme shall apply as follows: + +8.1 for the year 2026, below 75 tonnes: 6.472 SDR per kilogramme; +8.2 for the year 2027, below 15 tonnes: 6.767 SDR per kilogramme; +8.3 for the year 2028, below 15 tonnes: 7.071 SDR per kilogramme; +8.4 for the year 2029, below 15 tonnes: 7.389 SDR per kilogramme; +8.5 for the year 2030, below 15 tonnes: 7.724 SDR per kilogramme. + +**9.** + +M bags weighing less than 5 kilogrammes shall be considered as weighing 5 kilogrammes for terminal dues payment purposes. The terminal dues rates to be applied for M bags shall be: + +9.1 for the year 2026, 1.153 SDR per kilogramme; +9.2 for the year 2027, 1.205 SDR per kilogramme; +9.3 for the year 2028, 1.259 SDR per kilogramme; +9.4 for the year 2029, 1.316 SDR per kilogramme; +9.5 for the year 2030, 1.375 SDR per kilogramme. + +**10.** For registered items there shall be an additional payment of 1.745 SDR per item for 2026, 2.500 SDR per item for 2027, 2.613 SDR per item for 2028, 2.731 SDR per item for 2029 and 2.854 SDR for 2030. The Postal Operations Council shall be authorized to supplement remuneration for these and other supplementary services where the services provided contain additional features to be specified in the Regulations. + +**11.** For insured items containing documents (P and G format), there shall be an additional payment of 2.045 SDR for 2026, 2.800 SDR for 2027, 2.913 SDR per item for 2028, 3.031 SDR per item for 2029 and 3.154 SDR per item for 2030. The Postal Operations Council shall be authorized to supplement remuneration for these and other supplementary services where the services provided contain additional features to be specified in the Regulations. + +**12.** For tracked delivery service items there shall be a supplementary payment per item for the service feature, in accordance with the conditions specified in the Regulations. The Postal Operations Council shall be authorized to supplement remuneration for tracked delivery service items on the basis of performance in the electronic transmission of information, as specified in the Regulations. + +**13.** For small packet (E) letter-post items, registered and insured and tracked delivery service items not carrying a barcoded identifier or carrying a barcoded identifier that is not compliant with the UPU’s Technical Standard S10, there shall be a further additional payment of 0.5 SDR per item unless otherwise bilaterally agreed. + +**14.** The remuneration for returned undeliverable letter-post items shall be specified in the Regulations. + +**15.** + +For terminal dues payment purposes, letter-post items posted in bulk in accordance with the conditions specified in the Regulations shall be referred to as “bulk mail”. + +15.1 The payment for bulk mail containing goods shall be established as provided for in article 29.1.4 or 29.1.2, as appropriate. The conditions in paragraphs 6.4 and 8 and articles 29.1.5.6.1 and 29.4 shall not apply. +15.2 The payment for bulk mail containing documents (P and G format) shall be established as provided for in article 30. The conditions in paragraphs 6.3.1 and 8 shall not apply. +15.3 The designated operator of destination may request the payment by applying the rates per item and per kilogramme. Alternatively, the payment shall be established by applying the total rate per kilogramme on the basis of a worldwide average composition of one kilogramme of mail in paragraphs 5 and 7 based on the per-item and per-kilogramme rates in articles 29 and 30. The conditions in paragraph 8 and articles 29.1.5.6 and 29.4 shall not apply in the calculation of the total rate per kilogramme. + +**16.** No reservations may be made to this article. + +### Artikel 29 + +**1.** + +General provisions + +1.1 The provisions in this article shall apply equally to the remuneration of bulky (E) letter-post items in 2026. +1.2 In 2026, the rates of bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items shall be calculated from the P/G format line at 0.273 kilogrammes, exclusive of VAT or other taxes, as set out in article 30.1. + +1.2.1 The rates in 2026 shall not lead to an increase of more than 13% in revenue for a bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post item of 0.273 kilogrammes, compared to 2025. +1.2.2 In 2026, the rates in 1.2 may not be higher than 1.265 SDR per item and 2.844 SDR per kilogramme. +1.2.3 In 2026, the rates in 1.2 may not be lower than 0.819 SDR per item and 1.842 SDR per kilogramme. +1.2.4 Further conditions regarding the calculation of these rates are specified in the Regulations +1.3 Beginning with rates in effect for the year 2027 onwards, each designated operator shall provide the International Bureau with its domestic rates for equivalent services in order to determine the remuneration rates for small packet (E) letter-post items in accordance with this article. +1.4 Additionally, designated operators may notify the International Bureau by 1 May of the year preceding the year in which the remuneration rates would apply of a self-declared rate per item and a self-declared rate per kilogramme, expressed in local currency or SDR, that shall apply in the following calendar year for bulky (E) and small packet (E) letter-post items in 2026 and for small packet (E) letter-post items only from 2027. The International Bureau shall annually convert the self-declared rates provided in local currency into values expressed in SDR. To calculate the rates in SDR, the International Bureau shall use the average monthly exchange rate of the five-month period ending on the last day of the month of February of the year preceding the year for which the self-declared rates would be applicable. The resultant rates shall be notified by means of an International Bureau circular no later than 1 July of the year preceding the year in which the self-declared rates would apply. + +1.4.1 The rates applicable to bulky (E) and/or small packet (E) letter-post items that have been self-declared pursuant to this article shall substitute the rates determined in accordance with 1.2. +1.5 Subject to 1.6, the self-declared rates shall: + +1.5.1 at the average weight of a small packet (E) letter-post item of 0.273 kilogrammes, not be higher than the country-specific ceiling rates calculated in accordance with paragraph 1.6; +1.5.2 not exceed 70%, or the applicable percentage in paragraph 8, of the domestic single-piece charge for items equivalent to small packet (E) letter-post items offered by the designated operator in its domestic service and in effect on 1 May of the year preceding the year for which the self-declared rates would be applicable; +1.5.3 be based on the domestic single-piece charge in force for items within the designated operator’s domestic service having the specified maximum size and shape dimensions of small packet (E) letter-post items; +1.5.4 be made available to all designated operators; +1.5.5 be applied only to small packet (E) letter-post items; +1.5.6 be applied to small packet (E) letter-post flows from countries in group C, if the total mail flow is more than 75 tonnes per year; + +1.5.6.1 where the total mail flow is less than 75 tonnes, but higher than the volume thresholds in article 28.6, the following rates shall apply to small packet (E) letter-post flows from group C: + +1.5.6.1.1 for the year 2028, 0.895 SDR per item and 2.012 SDR per kilogramme; +1.5.6.1.2 for the year 2029, 0.935 SDR per item and 2.103 SDR per kilogramme; +1.5.6.1.3 for the year 2030, 0.977 SDR per item and 2.198 SDR per kilogramme. +1.6 The self-declared rates per item and per kilogramme for small packet (E) letter-post items shall not be higher than the country-specific ceiling rates determined by a linear regression of 11 points corresponding to 70%, or the applicable percentage in paragraph 8, of the priority single-piece tariffs of equivalent domestic services for 20-gramme, 35-gramme, 75-gramme, 175-gramme, 250-gramme, 375-gramme, 500-gramme, 750-gramme, 1,000-gramme, 1,500-gramme and 2,000-gramme small packet (E) letter-post items, exclusive of any taxes. + +1.6.1 The determination of whether the self-declared rates exceed the ceiling rates shall be tested at the average revenue using the most current worldwide average composition of one kilogramme of mail in which an E format item weighs 0.273 kilogrammes. In instances in which the self-declared rates exceed the ceiling rates at the average E format weight of 0.273 kilogrammes, the ceiling per-item and per-kilogramme rates shall apply; alternatively, the designated operator in question may choose to reduce its self-declared rates to a level that conforms with paragraphs 1.6 and 3, as applicable. +1.6.2 When multiple packet rates are available based on thickness, the lesser domestic tariff shall be used for items up to 250 grammes, and the higher domestic tariff shall be used for items above 250 grammes. +1.6.3 Where zonal rates apply in the equivalent domestic service, the mid-point rate as specified in the Regulations shall be used, and domestic tariffs for non-contiguous zones shall be excluded for determination of the mid-point rate. Alternatively, the determination of the zonal tariff to be used may be based on the actual weighted average distance of inbound small packet (E) letter-post items (for the most recent calendar year). +1.6.4 Where the equivalent domestic service and tariff include additional features that are not part of the basic service, i.e. tracking, signature and insurance services, and such features are extended across all the weight increments listed in paragraph 1.6, the lesser of the corresponding domestic supplemental rate, the supplemental rate, or the suggested guideline charge in the Acts of the Union shall be deducted from the domestic tariff. The total deduction for all additional features may not exceed 25% of the domestic tariff. + +**2.** + +Where the country-specific ceiling rates calculated in accordance with paragraph 1.6 result in a revenue calculated for small packet (E) item at 0.273 kilogrammes that is lower than the revenue calculated for the same item at the same weight on the basis of the rates specified below, the self-declared rates shall not be higher than the following rates: + +2.1 for the year 2026, 0.819 SDR per item and 1.842 SDR per kilogramme; +2.2 for the year 2027, 0.856 SDR per item and 1.925 SDR per kilogramme; +2.3 for the year 2028, 0.895 SDR per item and 2.012 SDR per kilogramme; +2.4 for the year 2029, 0.935 SDR per item and 2.103 SDR per kilogramme; +2.5 for the year 2030, 0.977 SDR per item and 2.198 SDR per kilogramme; + **3.** +In addition to the ceiling rates provided for in 1.6, the rates in a given year shall not lead to an increase of more than 10% in the revenue for a small packet (E) letter-post item weighing 0.273 kilogrammes, compared to the previous year. + +3.1 Beginning with rates in effect from 2027, any unused increases may be carried over from previous years and be applied in addition to the increases in paragraph 3. No more than 10 percentage points of unused increases may be carried over from one year to the next. + +**4.** + +Where the total letter-post flows between countries in group B, and from those countries to countries in group A, are less than 25 tonnes per year in 2026 and 15 tonnes per year from 2027, the rates for small packet (E) letter-post items shall be determined as follows: + +4.1 In 2026, in accordance with paragraph 1.2. +4.2 From 2027, the self-declared rates in 1.4 shall apply unless the revenue of the self-declared rates at 0.273 kilogrammes is higher than the revenue calculated for the same item at the same weight on the basis of the rates specified below, in which case the following rates shall apply: + +4.2.1 for the year 2027, 1.322 SDR per item and 2.972 SDR per kilogramme; +4.2.2 for the year 2028, 1.381 SDR per item and 3.106 SDR per kilogramme; +4.2.3 for the year 2029, 1.443 SDR per item and 3.246 SDR per kilogramme; +4.2.4 for the year 2030, 1.508 SDR per item and 3.392 SDR per kilogramme. + +**5.** + +For rates in effect in 2026, the ratio between the self-declared item rate and kilogramme rate shall not change by more than five percentage points upwards or downwards compared with the ratio of the previous year. For rates in effect in 2027, there are no constraints in terms of the aforementioned ratio. For rates in effect in 2028 and subsequent years, the ratio between the self-declared item rate and kilogramme rate shall not change by more than 20 percentage points upwards or downwards compared with the ratio of the previous year. + +5.1 The application of paragraph 5 shall not result in a negative ratio between the item rate and kilogramme rate. +5.2 Further specifications shall be provided in the Regulations. + +**6.** + +For designated operators that have elected to self-declare their rates for small packet (E) letter-post items in a prior calendar year and that do not communicate different self-declared rates for the subsequent year, the existing self-declared rates shall continue to apply unless they do not satisfy the conditions laid out in this article. The designated operator may collect the minimum rates provided in paragraph 2. + +6.1 For designated operators that have elected not to self-declare their rates for small packet (E) letter-post items in a prior calendar year and that do not communicate self-declared rates for the subsequent year, the remuneration rates for small packet (E) letter-post items shall be based on the lesser of the revenues at 0.273 kilogrammes between the ceiling rates in 1.6 and the maximum increase in 3 by applying the same ratio between the item rate and kilogramme rate of the previous year. +6.2 For designated operators that do not provide the priority single-piece tariffs of equivalent domestic services in paragraph 1.6 by 1 May of the year preceding the year in which the rates take effect, the priority single-piece tariffs used for the calculation for the previous year for the designated operator concerned shall apply. If the designated operator concerned has not notified the International Bureau of the relevant priority single-piece tariffs in any prior year, the minimum rates provided in 2 shall apply. + +6.2.1 If, by 1 May of the year preceding the year in which the rates take effect, the priority single-piece tariffs have been reduced compared to the notification of these tariffs of a prior year, then the International Bureau shall be informed by the designated operator concerned of any reduction in the domestic charge referred to in this article. + +**7‎.** + +A designated operator of a ‎member country that received total annual inbound letter-post volumes in 2018 in excess of 75,000 tonnes ‎‎(as per the relevant official information provided to the International Bureau or any other officially available ‎information assessed by the International Bureau) may self-declare rates for small packet (E) ‎letter-post items, other than for the letter-post flows from countries in group B that do not exceed 25 tonnes per year in 2026 and 15 tonnes from 2027, or from countries in group C that do not exceed 75 tonnes, for the calendar year in which the rates apply. The said ‎designated operator shall also have the right not to apply the revenue increase limits set out in ‎paragraph 3 for mail flows to, from and between its country and any other country. + +7.1 Where a designated operator of a member country invokes paragraph 7, all other corresponding designated operators (including those from groups B and C whose outbound flows are referred to in paragraph 7) may do likewise and self-declare rates for small packet (E) letter-post items with respect to the aforementioned designated operator without being subject to the maximum revenue increase limits set out in paragraph 3. +7.2 With respect to any such corresponding designated operators that elect to apply self-declared rates under paragraph 7.1 (including those from groups B and C whose outbound flows are referred to in paragraph 7), the same conditions for the self-declaration of rates of the designated operator that invoked paragraph 7 shall reciprocally apply. Paragraphs 8.1 and 8.2 of this article shall also apply to all such corresponding designated operators. +7.3 From 2027, where a designated operator applies self-declared rates in line with paragraphs 7.1 and 1.4, the ratio between the rates per item and per kilogramme shall be the same, with a possible deviation of 0.1 percentage points. + +**8.** + +Revision of cost-to-tariff ratio + +8.1 If a competent authority with oversight for the designated operator which exercises the aforementioned option in paragraph 7 determines that, in order to cover all costs for handling and delivery of small packet (E) letter-post items, the designated operator’s self-declared rate must be based on a cost-to-tariff ratio that exceeds 70% of the domestic single-piece charge, then the cost-to-tariff ratio for that designated operator may exceed 70%, subject to a limitation that the cost-to-tariff ratio to be used shall not exceed one percentage point above the higher of 70% or the cost-to-tariff ratio used in the calculation of the self-declared rates currently in effect, not to exceed 80%, and provided that the designated operator in question furnishes all such supporting information with its notification to the International Bureau under paragraph 1.4, including the validation, in writing, of this information by the aforementioned authority. If any such designated operator increases its cost-to-tariff ratio based on such a determination of a competent authority, then it shall notify the International Bureau of that ratio by 1 May of the year preceding the year in which the ratio shall apply. Further specifications related to the costs and revenues to be used for the calculation of the specific cost-to-tariff ratio shall be provided in the Regulations. +8.2 If a competent authority with oversight for a designated operator classified in group C determines that, in order to cover all costs for handling and delivery of small packet (E) letter-post items, the designated operator’s ceiling rates must be based on a cost-to-tariff ratio that exceeds 70% of the domestic single-piece charge, then the cost-to-tariff ratio for that designated operator may exceed 70% provided that the designated operator in question furnishes all such supporting information with its notification to the International Bureau under paragraph 1, including the validation, in writing, of this information by the aforementioned authority. If any such designated operator increases its cost-to-tariff ratio based on such a determination of a competent authority, then it shall notify the International Bureau of that ratio by 1 May of the year preceding the year in which the ratio shall apply. Further specifications related to the costs and revenues to be used for the calculation of the specific cost-to-tariff ratio shall be provided in the Regulations. + +**‎9.** If a designated operator exercises the option to self-declare rates in accordance with ‎paragraph 7, the said designated operator ‎should consider making available to sending designated operators of Union member countries, on a non-‎discriminatory basis, proportionately adjusted charges for volume and distance, to the extent practicable ‎and available in the receiving designated operator’s published domestic service for similar services under a bilateral agreement, within the framework of the rules of the national regulatory ‎authority.‎ + +**10.** Any additional conditions and procedures for the self-declaration of rates applicable to small packet (E) letter-post items shall be laid down in the Regulations. + +**11.** No reservations may be made to this article. + +### Artikel 30 + +**1.** The per-item and per-kilogramme remuneration rates for small (P) and large (G) letter-post items containing documents shall be calculated on the basis of 70% of the charges for a 20-gramme small (P) letter-post item and for a 175-gramme large (G) letter-post item, exclusive of VAT or other taxes. + +**2.** The Postal Operations Council shall define the conditions for the calculation of the rates as well as the necessary operational, statistical and accounting procedures for the exchange of format-separated mails. + +**3.** The rates in a given year shall not lead to an increase of more than 13% in the terminal dues revenue for a letter-post item in the P/G format of 42.3 grammes. + +**4.** + +The rates applied for small (P) and for large (G) letter-post items may not be higher than: + +4.1 for the year 2026, 0.473 SDR per item and 3.692 SDR per kilogramme; +4.2 for the year 2027, 0.508 SDR per item and 3.969 SDR per kilogramme; +4.3 for the year 2028, 0.546 SDR per item and 4.267 SDR per kilogramme; +4.4 for the year 2029, 0.587 SDR per item and 4.587 SDR per kilogramme; +4.5 for the year 2030, 0.631 SDR per item and 4.931 SDR per kilogramme. + +**5.** + +The rates applied for small (P) and for large (G) letter-post items may not be lower than: + +5.1 for the year 2026, 0.345 SDR per item and 2.690 SDR per kilogramme; +5.2 for the year 2027, 0.361 SDR per item and 2.811 SDR per kilogramme; +5.3 for the year 2028, 0.377 SDR per item and 2.937 SDR per kilogramme; +5.4 for the year 2029, 0.394 SDR per item and 3.069 SDR per kilogramme; +5.5 for the year 2030, 0.412 SDR per item and 3.207 SDR per kilogramme. + +**6.** No reservations may be made to this article. + +### Artikel 31 + +Vervallen + +### Artikel 32 + +**1.** Terminal dues payable by all countries to the countries classified as least developed countries in group C for terminal dues and Quality of Service Fund (QSF) purposes, except for M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail items, shall be increased by 20% of the rates provided for in article 28, 29 or 30 for payment into the QSF for improving the quality of service in those countries. There shall be no such payment from one group C country to another group C country. + +**2.** Terminal dues, except for M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail items, payable by countries classified as group A countries to the countries classified as group C countries, other than the least developed countries referred to in paragraph 1 of this article, shall be increased by 10% of the of the rates provided for in article 28, 29 or 30, for payment into the QSF for improving the quality of service in those countries. + +**3.** Terminal dues, except for M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail items, payable by countries classified as group B countries (excluding those which joined the target system as from 2016) to the countries classified as group C countries, other than the least developed countries referred to in paragraph 1 of this article, shall be increased by 10% of the rates provided for in article 28, 29 or 30, for payment into the QSF for improving the quality of service in those countries. + +**4.** Terminal dues, except in respect of M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail items, payable by countries classified as group B countries which joined the target system as from 2016 to the countries classified as group C countries, other than the least developed countries referred to in paragraph 1 of this article, shall be increased by 5% of the rates provided for in article 28, 29 or 30, for payment into the QSF for improving the quality of service in those countries. + +**5.** An increase of 1%, calculated on the basis of terminal dues payable by countries classified as group A and B countries to the countries classified as group B countries which joined the target system as from 2016, except in respect of M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail items, shall be paid into a common fund to be established for improving the quality of service in countries classified in groups B and C and managed in accordance with the relevant procedures set by the Postal Operations Council. + +**6.** An increase of 0.5%, calculated on the basis of terminal dues payable by countries classified as group A and B countries to the countries classified as group B countries which joined the target system as from 2016, except in respect of M bags, IBRS items and bulk mail items, shall be paid into a special account to be established as part of the common fund referred to in paragraph 5, specifically for improving the quality of service in group C countries classified by the United Nations as least developed countries and managed in accordance with the relevant procedures set by the Postal Operations Council. + +**7.** Subject to the relevant procedures set by the Postal Operations Council, any unused amounts contributed under paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of this article and accumulated over the four preceding QSF reference years (with 2018 as the earliest reference year) shall also be transferred to the common fund referred to in paragraph 5 of this article. For the purposes of this paragraph, only funds that have not been used in QSF-approved quality of service projects within two years following receipt of the last payment of contributed amounts for any given four-year period as defined above shall be transferred to the aforementioned common fund. + +**8.** The combined terminal dues payable into the QSF for improving the quality of service of countries in group C shall be subject to a minimum of 20,000 SDR per annum for each beneficiary country. The additional funds needed for reaching this minimum amount shall be invoiced, in proportion to the volumes exchanged, to the countries in groups A and B. + +**9.** The Postal Operations Council shall adopt or update procedures for financing QSF projects. + +### Hoofdstuk C. RATES FOR PARCEL POST + +### Artikel 33 + +**1.** + +General provisions + +1.1 In 2026, parcels exchanged between two designated operators shall be subject to inward land rates calculated by combining the base rate per parcel and base rate per kilogramme laid down in the Regulations. + +1.1.1 In 2026, the global minimum base rate shall correspond to 4.25 SDR for a parcel of 5 kilogrammes. The global minimum base rate results from the application of the following formula: 2.85 SDR per parcel plus 0.28 SDR per kilogramme. Each designated operator shall collect at least this global minimum base rate. +1.1.2 Designated operators may increase their per-parcel and per-kilogramme base rates by up to 40%, on the basis of the service features provided, in accordance with provisions laid down in the Regulations. +1.1.3 The rates mentioned in 1.1, 1.1.1 and 1.1.2 shall be payable by the designated operator of the country of origin, unless the Regulations provide for exceptions to this principle. +1.1.4 The inward land rates shall be uniform for the whole of the territory of each country. +1.2 Beginning with rates in effect for the year 2027 onwards, each designated operator shall provide the International Bureau with its domestic rates for equivalent services in order to determine the ceiling rates for parcels. + +1.2.1 The country-specific ceiling rates shall be determined by a linear regression of 7 points corresponding to 100% of the priority single-piece tariffs of equivalent domestic services for 250-gramme, 500-gramme, 1-kilogramme, 2-kilogramme, 5-kilogramme, 10-kilogramme and 20 kilogramme parcel-post items with tracking, exclusive of any taxes. +1.2.2 The domestic single-piece charge for items equivalent to parcels offered by the designated operator in its domestic service shall be those in effect on 1 May of the year preceding the year for which the parcel remuneration rates would be applicable and shall correspond to the specified maximum size and shape dimensions of parcel-post items. +1.2.3 Where zonal rates apply in the equivalent domestic service, the mid-point rate as specified in the Regulations shall be used, and domestic tariffs for non-contiguous zones shall be excluded for determination of the mid-point rate. Alternatively, the determination of the zonal tariff to be used may be based on the actual weighted average distance of inbound parcels (for the most recent calendar year). +1.2.4 Where priority single-piece tariffs in the domestic service are exclusively determined on the basis of their size or dimensions and not their weight, those tariffs shall be used to determine the values in 1.2.1 in accordance with the conditions specified in the Regulations. +1.2.5 A designated operator of a country in group C may elect not to provide its domestic rates in accordance with the provisions applicable in paragraph 4. +1.2.6 For designated operators that do not provide the priority single-piece tariffs of equivalent domestic services in paragraph 1.2 by 1 May of the year preceding the year in which the rates take effect, the priority single-piece tariffs used for the previous year for the designated operator concerned shall apply. If the designated operator concerned has not notified the International Bureau of the relevant priority single-piece tariffs in any prior year, then the minimum rates provided in paragraph 5 shall apply. + +1.2.6.1 If, by 1 May of the year preceding the year in which the rates take effect, the priority single-piece tariffs have been reduced compared to the notification of these tariffs of a prior year, the International Bureau shall be informed by the designated operator concerned of any reduction in the domestic charge referred to in this article. +1.3 Additionally, designated operators may notify the International Bureau by 1 May of the year preceding the year in which the remuneration rates would apply of a self-declared rate per item and a self-declared rate per kilogramme, expressed in local currency or SDR, that shall apply to parcels in the following calendar year. The International Bureau shall annually convert the self-declared rates provided in local currency into values expressed in SDR. To calculate the rates in SDR, the International Bureau shall use the average monthly exchange rate of the five-month period ending on the last day of the month of February of the year preceding the year for which the self-declared rates would be applicable. The resultant rates shall be notified by means of an International Bureau circular no later than 1 July of the year preceding the year in which the self-declared rates would apply. + +**2.** + +At the average parcel weight of 4.652 kilogrammes, the self-declared rates shall not be higher than the annual maximum revenue determined as follows: + +2.1 2027: 25% of the revenue calculated at the weight of 4.652 kilogrammes on the basis of the ceiling rates in 1.2 and 75% of the revenue calculated at the weight of 4.652 kilogrammes on the basis of the inward land rates in effect in 2026; +2.2 2028: 50% of the revenue calculated at the weight of 4.652 kilogrammes on the basis of the ceiling rates in 1.2 and 50% of the revenue calculated at the weight of 4.652 kilogrammes on the basis of the inward land rates in effect in 2026; +2.3 2029: 75% of the revenue calculated at the weight of 4.652 kilogrammes on the basis of the ceiling rates in 1.2 and 25% of the revenue calculated at the weight of 4.652 kilogrammes on the basis of the inward land rates in effect in 2026; +2.4 2030: 100% of the revenue calculated at the weight of 4.652 kilogrammes on the basis of the ceiling rates in 1.2; +2.5 In 2.1 to 2.4 above, the inward land rates are the per-parcel and per-kilogramme base rates in 1.1 of the year 2026 further increased by 40% and reduced by 1.200 SDR per parcel. The deduction of 1.200 SDR shall not be made for those designated operators whose domestic service tariffs notified under 1.2.1 are inclusive of proof of delivery. + +**3.** + +Maximum annual increases and decreases + +3.1 Where the maximum annual revenue in 2 is higher than the revenue of the previous year increased by 20%, then the revenue of the previous year increased by 20% shall substitute the maximum revenue in 2. +3.2 Where the maximum annual revenue in 2 is less than the revenue of the previous year decreased by 10%, then the revenue of the previous year decreased by 10% shall substitute the maximum revenue in 2. +3.3 For the rates in effect in 2027, the revenue of the previous year shall be the revenue calculated at the weight of 4.652 kilogrammes on the basis of the per-parcel and per-kilogramme base rates in 1.1 of the year 2026 further increased by 40% and reduced by 1.200 SDR per parcel. + +3.3.1 The deduction of 1.200 SDR in paragraph 3.3 shall not be made for those designated operators whose domestic service tariffs notified under 1.2.1 are inclusive of proof of delivery. +3.4 For the rates in effect from 2028, the revenue of the previous year shall be the revenue calculated at the weight of 4.652 kilogrammes on the basis of the self-declared per-item and per-kilogramme rates. + +**4.** + +Beginning with rates in effect from 2027, if the competent authority with oversight for the designated operator classified in group C determines that domestic tariffs in 1.2.1 are not set in relation to costs, the designated operator may substitute the maximum revenue in 2 and 3 above with the per-parcel and per-kilogramme base rates in 1.1 of the year 2026, further increased by 40% and subsequently reduced by 1.200 SDR per parcel. Beginning with rates in effect from 2028, the designated operator invoking the provision in 4 may apply an annual increase of 4.5% to these rates. + +4.1 The determination by the competent authority in 4 shall be submitted, in writing, to the International Bureau by 1 May of the year preceding the year in which the rates take effect. +4.2 The designated operator invoking paragraph 4 shall self-declare a per-parcel and per-kilogramme rate in accordance with all other provisions in this article. The revenue calculated at the weight of 4.652 kilogrammes on the basis of these self-declared rates shall not exceed: + +4.2.1 2027: 10.697 SDR; +4.2.2 2028: 11.177 SDR; +4.2.3 2029: 11.679 SDR; +4.2.4 2030: 12.204 SDR. + +**5.** + +Where the maximum revenues calculated in accordance with paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 result in a revenue calculated for a parcel item at 4.652 kilogrammes that is lower than the revenue calculated for the same item at the same weight on the basis of the minimum global rates specified below, the self-declared rates shall not be higher than the following rates: + +5.1 for the year 2027, 4.560 SDR per item and 0.448 SDR per kilogramme; +5.2 for the year 2028, 4.765 SDR per item and 0.468 SDR per kilogramme; +5.3 for the year 2029, 4.979 SDR per item and 0.489 SDR per kilogramme; +5.4 for the year 2030, 5.203 SDR per item and 0.511 SDR per kilogramme. + +**6.** + +The determination of whether the self-declared rates exceed the maximum revenues in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 shall be tested at the revenue using the average parcel weight of 4.652 kilogrammes. In instances where the notified self-declared rates exceed the maximum revenues in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 the provisions in paragraph 7.1 shall apply; alternatively, the designated operator in question may choose to reduce its self-declared rates to a level that complies with the provisions of this article. + +6.1 The self-declared rate per parcel in paragraph 6 shall not be less than the maximum performance-related incentive specified in the Regulations. This amount shall be deducted from the self-declared per-parcel rate published by means of an International Bureau circular no later than 1 July of the year preceding the year in which the self-declared rates would apply. +6.2 The designated operator can recover the amount in 6.1, in full or in part, by providing service features, in accordance with provisions laid down in the Regulations. + +**7.** + +For designated operators that have elected to self-declare their rates for parcels in a prior calendar year and that do not communicate different self-declared rates for the subsequent year, the existing self-declared rates shall continue to apply unless they do not satisfy the conditions laid out in this article. The designated operator may apply the minimum rates provided in paragraph 5. + +7.1 For designated operators that have elected not to self-declare their rates for parcels in a prior calendar year and that do not communicate self-declared rates for the subsequent year, the remuneration rates shall be based on maximum revenues in paragraphs 2 and 3 and apply the same ratio between the item rate and kilogramme rate of the previous year or determined in accordance with the provisions in paragraph 4, as appropriate. + +**8.** + +Beginning with rates in effect for the year 2027 onwards, for parcels with proof of delivery, there shall be an additional payment of 1.200 SDR per item or the charge applicable for proof of delivery in the domestic service. This remuneration shall not be paid to those designated operators whose domestic service tariffs notified under 1.2.1 are inclusive of proof of delivery. + +8.1 Designated operators that apply the equivalent charge in the domestic service shall notify the International Bureau by no later than 1 May of the year preceding the year in which the rates take effect of that charge, exclusive of any taxes, in effect on that date. To calculate the rates in SDR, the International Bureau shall use the average monthly exchange rate of the five-month period ending on the last day of the month of February of the year preceding the year for which the payment would be applicable. The applicable amount shall be published, in SDR, in the same circular referred to in paragraph 1.3. + +**9.** Where the domestic tariffs for a parcel weighing 4.652 kilogrammes with delivery to the non-contiguous zones were excluded from the calculation of the ceiling rates in 1.2, the destination designated operator may apply a supplementary rate to its self-declared rates for items delivered to these zones that shall correspond to or be lower than the difference between these values in accordance with the conditions set out in the Regulations. + +**10.** + Any designated operator which participates in the sea conveyance of parcels shall be authorized to claim sea rates. These rates shall be payable by the designated operator of the country of origin, unless the Regulations provide for exceptions to this principle. -3.1 For each sea conveyance used, the sea rate shall be laid down in the Regulations according to the distance step applicable. -3.2 Designated operators may increase by 50% at most the sea rate calculated in accordance with 3.1. On the other hand, they may reduce it as they wish. +10.1 For each sea conveyance used, the sea rate shall be laid down in the Regulations according to the distance step applicable. +10.2 Designated operators may increase by 50% at most the sea rate calculated in accordance with 10.1. On the other hand, they may reduce it as they wish. ### Hoofdstuk D. AIR CONVEYANCE DUES @@ -936,11 +996,11 @@ The air conveyance dues for the whole distance flown shall be borne: **1.** -The Postal Operations Council shall have the authority to fix the following rates and charges, which are payable by designated operators in accordance with the conditions shown in the Regulations: +The Postal Operations Council shall have the authority to fix the following rates, charges and other elements as outlined in paragraph 1.3, which are payable by designated operators in accordance with the conditions shown in the Regulations 1.1 transit charges for the handling and conveyance of letter mails through one or more intermediary countries; 1.2 basic rates and air conveyance dues for the carriage of mail by air; -1.3 inward land rates for the handling of all inward parcels except ECOMPRO parcels; +1.3 performance-related incentive elements for parcels; 1.4 transit land rates for the handling and conveyance of parcels through an intermediary country; 1.5 sea rates for the conveyance of parcels by sea. 1.6 outward land rates for the provision of the merchandise return service for parcels.