Postal News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 13, 2002
Contact: (202) 268-2155
Release No. 02-096
POSTAL SERVICE GIVES EARLY HOLIDAY GIFT TO MAILERS SENDING PACKAGES OVERSEAS
Customs' Administrative fee for Parcels to Europe reduced from 17 Euros to 9.50 Euros
WASHINGTON – The Postal Service today announced an early holiday present for postal customers mailing parcels to Europe from the United States. Effective immediately, parcels delivered in the European Union that are subject to Customs duties and taxes will be assessed an administrative fee of 9.50 Euros ($9.44) for customs clearance. This is a reduction from the 17 Euros ($16.88) that was previously charged.
The reduced administrative fee amends the Postal Service's October 31, 2001 agreement with Royal Mail's Pan-European parcel delivery company, General Logistics Systems (GLS) 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. Parcel delivery to Europe is designed to meet a 3 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 national 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 the country's laws. There is an administrative fee for customs clearance for these products to certain countries. See www.usps.com/global/customs.htm for more information.
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