James I. Campbell Jr., “Towards a United States Position at the Doha Congress of the Universal Postal Union” (25 Oct 2011).

Draft amendments only

Illustrations of Incremental Reforms of the Universal Postal Convention that the United States and European Union May Be Able to Sponsor Jointly. James I. Campbell Jr. Presentation at the 13th Königswinter Seminar on Postal Economics, Universal Service in More Competitive Postal Markets, 30 November – 2 December 2011, Königswinter , Germany.

An analysis of U.S. law and policy relating to international postal and delivery services and five suggestions for amendments to the Universal Postal Convention and the Postal Payment Services Agreement that the U.S. might suport in the Doha Congress in September 2012. The presentation of these proposals to a European audience in December 2011 omits a proposal dealing with the Postal Payment Services Agreement.

Universal Postal Convention (2008)

The full Universal Postal Convention of 2008. 37 articles. 37 pages.

Letter Post Manual (2009, 2d Update, 2011) - Supplemented with Annotation on Government Policies

Provisions of the Convention of 2008 relevant to the letter post and the Letter Post Regulations adopted by the POC in 2009. Some Regulations have been revised since 2009. Also includes some resolutions of the Geneva Congress incluiding the Nairobi Strategy and annotations by the International Bureau.

The "Annotation on Government Policies" is a supplment to the official Letter Post Manual by James I. Campbell Jr. The purpose of this annotation is to assist a policy maker in identifying and understanding the portions of the Letter Post Manual affecting issues of public policy. It provides a short introduction, specific bookmarks to governmental provisions of the Letter Postal Manual, and additional UPU material related to governmental policies.  622 pages (497 + 125 supplement).

Parcel Post Manual (2010)

Provisions of the Convention of 2008 relevant to the parcel post and the Parcel Post Regulations adopted by the POC in 2009. Some Regulations have been revised since 2009. Also includes some resolutions of the Geneva Congress and annotations by the International Bureau. 324 pages. [TO BE UPDATED]

Constitution, General Regulations, Etc. (2010)

The Constitution, General Regulations (defining, inter alia, the authority and composition of the CA and POC) and the Rules of Procedure for Congress as amended by the Geneva Congress in 2008. Includes annotations by the International Bureau. 260 pages.

Adrenale Corporation, Market Research on International Letters and Lightweight Parcels and Express Mail Service Items (2010)

The only recent, publicly available survey of the market for international documents and small parcels with data on both public postal operators and private operators. The report surveys the market for the carriage of cross-border documents and parcels weighing up to 2 kg in 40 countries, about 85 to 90 percent of the global market. In this group, the market for lightweight cross-border documents and parcels generated about $ 31 billion in annual revenues. The market was dominated by five operators who collectively shared almost three-quarters of the total: Deutsche Post/DHL (21%), FedEx (19%), UPS (16%), TNT (9%), and U.S. Postal Service (7%). 72 pages.

 UPU, Action and innovation paving the way to Doha and beyond (2010)

Summary of the Strategy Conference of UPU held in Nairobi in September 2010. The report emphasizes the role of the UPU is protecting the commercial fortunes of "designated operators": "there is a strong need for diversification, innovation and sustainable development. This transformation was magnified by the global economic crisis and driven by competition, new technologies and changing customer needs. . . . In particular, integration of the global logistics chain can allow Posts to become key players in the development of e-commerce and international trade. Postal financial services represent another field where diversification is possible.[pp. 3, 5]." 12 pages. 

 J.I. Campbell Jr., A.K. Dieke, and M. Zauner, "Terminal Dues: Winners, Losers, and the Path to Reform"

An analysis of the distortions created by the UPU terminal dues system in trade between industrialized countries. The analysis suggests that there are only three major net winners: the national post offices of U.S., U.K., and Spain.

U.S. Department of Justice, "Evaluating a Proposed Agreement on Terminal Dues" (1988)

Analysis of the anticompetitive and distortive effects of terminal dues provisions of UPU terminal dues in preparation for the 1989 Washington Congress.

WTO, General Agreement on Trade in Services Annex on Telecommunications

In summary, the agreement liberalizes both international and domestic telecommunications by addressing market access, investment, regulatory principles, and enforcement. The agreement provides that companies may offer local, long-distance and international service through any means of network technology, either on a facilities basis or through resale of existing network capacity. The agreement includes commitments to implement pocompetitive regulatory principles set out in a "Telecomm Reference Paper." 9 pages.

European Union: Postal/Courier: Proposal for a Reference Paper

Based on telecomm reference paper. Principles of this paper were echoed in the Plurilateral Request In March 2006. 4 pages.

Plurilateral Request: Collective Request for Postal and Courier Services, including Express Delivery

Request by the United States, European Union, Japan, and New Zealand providing principles for other nations to to follow in making commitments to liberalize market access for competitive postal and delivery services. 2 pages.

Postal and Courier Services: Background Note by the Secretariat

A description of the market for "postal and courier" services and the potential benefits from liberalization. Prepared by the secretariat of the World Trade Organization. 32 pages.

Statement of Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky WTO Basic Telecom Agreement Testimony before the House Commerce Committee — Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade & Consumer Protection.

Summary of the U.S. role and position with respect to the WTO's Agreement on Basic Telecommunications. 7 pages.

U.S. Customs Service, “A Review of U.S. Customs Treatment: International Express Mail & Express Consignment Shipments” (1998)

An analysis of the differences in the customs treatment of shipments disptached by post offices and by private express companies, prepared for Congress. 20 pages.

International Trade and Investment Act of 1984, as amended in 1998

The International Trade and Investment Act of 1984 adopted free trade in services as a major objective in U.S. international trade policy and vested authority for overall coordination in the USTR and Department of Commerce. The 1998 amendment explicitly added "postal and delivery services" the list of services to be addressed. The 1984 act and the 1998 amendment are set out. 16 pages.

U.S. Proposal 33 at UPU Beijing Congress

U.S. proposal to convene an Extraordinary Congress in 2001 to adopt the acts of the UPU to the changing marketplace for international postal and delivery services. This proposal was supported by Germany and many other industrialized countries,but opponents were able to prevent a vote at the Beijing Congress. 2 pages.

U.S. postal law: section 407 (international agreements)

Section 407 of Title 39 -- added by the PAEA in December 2006 -- provides of U.S. participation in international agreements relating to postal and delivery services. The document includes relevant excerpts from House and Senate committee reports. 11 pages.

DOT Order 2007-3-27

Final Order rejecting antitrust immunity for price fixing and other agreements by the International Air Transport Association. 53 pages.

US-EU Open Skies Aviation Agreement

In addition to liberalizing competition in air transportation, Article 10(10) on multi-modal operations has direct implications for postal and other delivery servics. In 2010, this agreement was extended in a "second stage" agreement (not included). 112 pages.

DOT Order 2008-7-4

Final Order approving, without antitrust immunity, IATA agreement on "flex fare" calculations. The order shows the limited extent of price coordination permitted the airlines under U.S. law and policy. 14 pages.

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk: Remarks to the Global Services Summit 2010

Ambassador Kirk summarizes the current U.S. policy toward trade in services. 4 pages.

James I. Campbell Jr., “Towards a United States Position at the Doha Congress of the Universal Postal Union” (5 Jul 2011)

Analysis of U.S. law and policy relating to international postal and delivery services and a proposal for the U.S. to support four amendments to the Universal Postal Convention in the Doha Congress in 2012.

European Postal Directive, as amended to 2008, Articles 12 and 13

Article 12 sets out principles for price regulation generally. Article 13 sets out principles for regulation of prices charged for delivery of intra-EU cross-border postal items with in the universal service. 2 pages.

European Commission Decision on application of the competition rules to renewal of Reims terminal dues agreement

Commission Decision of 23 October 2003, Reims II renotification, OJ L56, 24 Feb 2004. The decision applied EU competition rules to proposed agreement among public postal operators that set prices for inward delivery of mail. In sum, the Commission concluded that the proposed agreement was a "price-fixing agrement" that would be prohibited by EU law unless the parties included stringent public interest provisions (not included in similar UPU provisions). 30 pages.

Study on the External Dimension of the EU Postal Acquis External Dimesion

A study for the European Commission on intergovernmental agreements of the EU affecting international postal and delivery services. Prepared by J.I. Campbell Jr., A.K. Dieke, and M. Zauner.