Improved Service and Tracking Plus International Administrative Fee Reduced for Global Express Mail™ and Global Airmail Parcel Post

Effective December 9, 2002, Global Airmail Parcel Post delivered in the European Union that are subject to Customs duties and taxes will be assessed an administrative fee of 9.5 Euros (as of November 29, 2002, $9.44 USD) for customs clearance. This is a reduction from the 17 Euros that was previously charged. The fee for Global Airmail Parcel Post to Malta, Norway and Switzerland remains at 17 Euros. The customs clearance for Global Express Mail is 9.5 Euros. See www.usps.com/global/customs.htm for more information.

The Postal Service entered into an agreement with Royal Mail’s Pan-European parcel delivery company, General Logistics Systems (GLS), on October 31, 2002, for the delivery of Global Airmail Parcel Post to 23 countries and Global Express Mail to six countries in Europe. Using GLS’s state-of-the-art data tracking system, Global Express Mail has enhanced tracking and tracing and, for the first time, tracking for Global Airmail Parcel Post. Global Airmail Parcel Post service to Europe is meeting our targets of 4- to 6-day delivery, depending on service used and origin and destination.

All items entering a foreign country are subject to customs inspection and the assessment of duties and taxes in accordance with that country’s laws. Customs duties and taxes are assessed, generally, if the merchandise is dutiable and the value of the item is above the threshold set by that country. There is an administrative fee for customs clearance for these products to certain countries.