. Article 06-003 Characteristics of postage stamps and postal prepayment or franking impressions 1 Postage stamps and postal prepayment impressions 1.1 Postage stamps and postal prepayment impressions may be of any shape provided that, in principle, their vertical or horizontal dimensions are not less than 15 mm nor more than 50 mm. 1.2 They may be distinctively marked with punched perforations or embossed impressions produced by means of an embossing stamp, subject to the conditions laid down by the designated operator or the member country which has issued them, provided that those processes do not interfere with the clarity of the particulars prescribed in article 6 of the Convention. 1.3 Commemorative or charity postage stamps may bear an indication of the year of issue in Arabic numerals. Similarly, they may bear an inscription in any language to indicate the occasion for which they are issued. When a supplementary charge is payable in addition to their postage value, they shall be so designed as to leave no doubt about that value. 1.4 In accordance with article 6 of the Convention, postage stamps may, in place of the name of the issuing member country or territory, and subject to a formal request duly sent by the issuing member country or territory to the International Bureau, include the abbreviation or initials officially listed in the ISO 3166 standard for the member country or territory concerned. 2 Franking machine impressions 2.1 Designated operators may use themselves or authorize the use of postal franking machines reproducing on items the name of the member country of origin and the postage value, as well as the name of the place of origin and the date of posting. However, the last two items of information shall not be compulsory. For franking machines used by designated operators themselves, the postage value may be replaced by an indication that postage has been prepaid, for example in the form: “Taxe perçue” (Charge collected). 2.2 Impressions produced by postal franking machines shall, in principle, be bright red. However, designated operators may permit that the impressions produced by franking machines may be made in a colour other than bright red. The impressions of any publicity slogans used with the franking machines may also be produced in a colour other than red. 2.3 The names of the member country and place of origin shall be given in roman letters, which may be supplemented by the same information in other letters. The postage value shall be shown in arabic figures. 3 Franking impressions 3.1 Franking impressions obtained from a printing press or by another printing or stamping process shall bear the name of the member country of origin and, if appropriate, of the office of posting in roman letters, which may be supplemented by the same information in other letters. They shall also bear an indication that postage has been prepaid, for example in the form “Taxe perçue” (Charge collected). In every case, the phrase adopted shall be shown in bold letters in a space the area of which shall not be less than 300 mm2 . The date-stamp, if used, shall not appear in this space. 3.2 Franking impressions obtained from an electronic printing process may be applied above the address field, separated from it by a vertical distance of between 2.5 and 5 mm, regardless of the location of the address. Such franking impressions may be applied directly on the envelope or inside the envelope window. In the latter case, the printing and positioning of the item inside the envelope shall be constrained such that no part of the franking impression is closer than 5 mm to the edge of the window. The provisions of paragraph 3.1 shall apply to this type of impression. Where the franking impression incorporates or is supported by data encoded in a two-dimensional symbol, this shall comply with UPU Technical Standard S28. Commentary 1.1 The words “in principle” were inserted in order not to impose constraints on DOs with regard to the dimensions of postage stamps. The dimensions indicated, however, are intended as guidelines. 2.2 Bright red is also recommended for postal franking impressions or stamps used by post offices for indicating that postage has been fully paid, e.g. “Taxe perçue”. 3.2 Examples of franking impressions obtained from an electronic printing process: ______________________________________________ Article 18-004 Items for delivery free of charges and fees 1 In the service between designated operators which have notified their agreement to that effect senders may, by means of a previous declaration at the office of origin, undertake to pay the whole of the charges and fees to which the items are subject on delivery. 2 Charges 2.1 Senders shall undertake to pay the amounts which may be claimed by the office of destination. If necessary, they shall make a provisional payment. 2.2 The designated operator of origin shall collect from the sender a charge, the guideline amount of which shall be 0.98 SDR, which it shall retain as payment for services rendered in the country of origin. 2.3 The designated operator of destination shall be authorized to collect a commission charge the guideline amount of which shall be 0.98 SDR. This charge shall be independent of the presentation-to-Customs charge. It shall be collected from the sender on behalf of the designated operator of destination. 2.4 Rules unique to letter-post items 2.4.1 In the case of a request made after posting of a letter-post item, the designated operator of origin shall also collect an additional charge the guideline amount of which shall be 1.31 SDR per request. 2.4.2 Every designated operator may restrict to registered and insured letter-post items the service of delivery free of charges and fees. 3 Marking and treatment of items 3.1 Items for delivery to addressees free of charges and fees shall bear in bold letters the heading “Franc de taxes et de droits” (Free of charges and fees) or a similar indication in the language of the country of origin. These items shall be provided with a yellow label also bearing in bold letters the indication “Franc de taxes et de droits”. 3.1.1 For letter-post items, the heading and the label shall be placed on the address side, in so far as possible in the top left-hand corner, beneath the sender’s name and address where these are given. 3.1.2 For parcels, this indication shall also be shown on the dispatch note. 3.2 Every item sent free of charges and fees shall be accompanied by a CN 11 franking note. The sender of the item shall complete the text of the righthand side of the front of parts A and B of the franking note. The dispatching office shall insert the postal service indications. The sender’s entries may be made with the use of carbon paper. The text shall include the undertaking prescribed in 2.1. For letter-post items, the franking note, duly completed, shall be securely attached to the item. For parcels, the dispatch note, the customs declarations and the franking note shall be securely fastened together. 3.3 Request after posting for letter-post items 3.3.1 The sender may ask, after posting, for the item to be delivered free of charges and fees. 3.3.2 If the request is to be forwarded by post, the office of origin shall inform the office of destination in an explanatory note. This latter shall bear the prepayment of the charge due. It shall be forwarded as a registered item by the quickest route (air or surface) to the office of destination accompanied by a franking note duly completed. The office of destination shall affix the label prescribed under 4.1 to the item. 3.3.3 If the request is to be forwarded by telecommunication, the office of origin shall inform the office of destination by telecommunication and at the same time advise the relative particulars of the posting of the item. The office of destination shall automatically make out a franking note. 4 Return of part A of franking notes. Recovery of charges and fees 4.1 After delivery to the addressee of an item for delivery free of charges and fees, the office which has advanced the customs or other charges on behalf of the sender shall complete, so far as it is concerned, with the use of carbon paper, the details appearing on the back of parts A and B of the franking note. It shall send part A, accompanied by the supporting vouchers, to the office of origin of the item; these shall be sent in a closed envelope, without indication of the contents. Part B shall be retained by the designated operator of destination of the item for settlement with the debtor designated operator. 4.2 However, any designated operator may arrange for part A of franking notes on which charges have been levied to be returned by specially appointed offices and request that this part be forwarded to a specified office. 4.3 The name of the office to which part A of the franking notes are to be returned shall be entered in every case on the front of this part by the office dispatching the item. 4.4 When an item bearing the words “Franc de taxes et de droits” (Free of charges and fees) reaches the service of destination without a franking note, the office responsible for customs clearance shall prepare a duplicate note; on parts A and B of this note it shall show the name of the country of origin and, as far as possible, the date of posting of the item. 4.5 When the franking note is lost after delivery of an item, a duplicate shall be prepared under the same conditions. 4.6 Parts A and B of the franking notes relating to items which for any reason are returned to origin shall be cancelled by the designated operator of destination. 4.7 On receipt of part A of a franking note showing the charges paid out by the service of destination, the designated operator of origin shall convert the amount of those charges into its own currency. The rate used shall not be higher than the rate fixed for the issue of postal money orders intended for the country concerned. The result of the conversion shall be shown in the body of the form and on the coupon at the side. After recovering the amount of the charges, the office appointed for that purpose shall hand to the sender the coupon from the note and any supporting vouchers. 4.8 Provision unique to parcels concerning the amount of charges 4.8.1 When the sender disputes the amount of the charges shown in part A of the franking note, the designated operator of destination shall verify the amount of the sums paid out. If necessary, it shall approach its national customs services. After making any necessary corrections, it shall send part A of the note in question to the designated operator of origin. Likewise, if the designated operator of destination finds an error or omission regarding the charges relating to a parcel free of charges and fees for which part A of the franking note has been returned to the designated operator of origin, it shall issue a corrective duplicate. It shall send part A to the designated operator of origin to put the matter in order. _________________________________________ https://www.upu.int/UPU/media/upu/files/UPU/aboutUpu/acts/manualsInThreeVolumes/actInThreeVolumesManualOfConventionMaj1En.pdf?fbclid=IwAR118nQjhR9BeNhwJuDBi7dH-Q-qYUewvX-raLLqJJnKUpyJ42iEpITdAH8
Posted by El Hotepsekhemwy Pero at 2020-09-23 18:38:54 UTC