UPU Votes To Hold Extraordinary Congress On Terminal Dues

Director General of the UPU Bishar A. Hussein

GENEVA, Switzerland — An Extraordinary Congress of the Universal Postal Union will be held September 24-25 in Geneva following a vote of the membership. The meeting regards the Terminal Dues system and United States demands for change.

The Extraordinary Congress will meet and vote on one of three options for terminal dues: 1) To allow member countries to self-declare postal rates; 2) To accelerate rate increases already approved by the UPU; and 3) A convergence option that also adopts self-declared rates as its basis, but with elements aimed at mitigating undue price impacts.

The vote of the members was called after the United States notified the UPU it would withdraw from the organization in October unless given the right to set inbound commercial mail rates. Members were asked whether to have a Congress or a simple vote. By choosing a Congress, they are sending a clear message that resolution will take hard bargaining.

The Universal Postal Union (UPU) has to date received 128 valid postal ballots from the UPU member countries expressing their support for convening the Extraordinary Congress to discuss the UPU terminal dues system.

Although valid postal ballots are still being received at least two-thirds of the UPU membership—128 member countries—have now given their formal consent.

“This decision underscores the importance member countries attach to keeping the UPU intact and responsive to the needs of all. I am confident that, as always, the UPU will be guided by the spirit of dialogue and cooperation to find the required solutions in Geneva,” said the UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein.