International Postal News covering USPS hot topics, rate changes, mail piece design, and USPS Board of Governors voting

International Postal News

Click on the links below to read the latest news covering International Postal News and direct marketing, hot topics.

International 11/6/09—
The International Labour Organization and the UPU both held ceremonies in Geneva and Berne this week for the winner of the 2009 international letter-writing competition for young people.

International 11/5/09—
UPU Director General Edouard Dayan urged United Nations organizations and agencies on Friday to join a UPU campaign to develop efficient addressing systems world-wide.

International 11/4/09—
Thousands of people in the UK have started to use telegrams – one of the earliest forms of long distance communication - for their urgent messages as the national postal strike deepens.

International 11/3/09—
State-run Hellenic Post (ELTA) is to go through major restructuring ahead of the liberalization of the postal services market in 2013.

International 10/30/09—
Norway Post's revenues are declining as a result of the economic slump and electronic substitution, but extensive efficiency measures are leading to greater profitability at the end of the first three quarters of 2009.

International 10/29/09—
Royal Mail today condemned the CWU’s decision to walk away as peace talks were making significant progress and the union’s failure to call off this week’s industrial action.

International 10/28/09—
The global postal sector is one step closer to obtaining its own top-level domain name on the Internet, to be known as .post (dot-post). The UPU is the first United Nations agency to negotiate such a contract with ICANN.

International 10/27/09—
New Zealand Post is ensuring its nationwide letter delivery service remains fair for all New Zealanders through proposed changes to its access framework for other postal operators.

International 10/26/09—
Royal Mail and the CWU are to resume talks today aimed at bringing an end to a series of national postal strikes. The talks are to be assisted by the head of the Trades Union Congess, Brendan Barber.

International 10/23/09—
Nationwide postal strikes have begun today after last-minute talks between Royal Mail and the CWU collapsed. 120,000 mail center staff and postal drivers are striking today.

International 10/22/09—
ICANN and the UPU have reached an agreement in principle for the UPU sponsorship of the .POST Top-Level Domain. Final approval of the agreement is subject to ICANN's public comment process.

International 10/21/09—
The president of state-owned Japan Post, Yoshifumi Nishikawa, will resign, as the government prepares to revise a privatization scheme once applauded as a symbol of bold, pro-market reforms.

International 10/20/09—
The CWU reacted angrily to Royal Mail’s plans to hire 30,000 temporary staff to help deal with any strike backlog – threatening to take legal action against "inflammatory" strike-breaking plans.

International 10/19/09—
The Royal Mail is to recruit twice as many seasonal workers in the run up to Christmas as the war of words surrounding the postal strike continues.

International 10/16/09—
Despite tough economic conditions, Australia Post's revenue grew by $26.1 million in 2008/09 to $5.0 billion, with growth in all three core business areas.

International 10/15/09—
Czech Post has launched a new express service called Business Package Abroad (EPG) which has a guaranteed time of delivery to 21 countries in Europe.

International 10/14/09—
Royal Mail today condemned the CWU’s threat of a national strike as a blatant and deplorable attack on customers and on the future of the UK postal service.

International 10/13/09—
A number of German postal companies are joining forces to take on market leader Deutsche Post. The companies want to build up a nationwide delivery network under the name of Mail Alliance.

International 10/12/09—
Posts worldwide drew attention to the importance and value of their services in keeping people and businesses connected on October 9, World Post Day.

International 10/9/09—
The New Zealand Post Group is getting behind an initiative to help employers encourage entrepreneurship in their business.

International 10/8/09—
Amazon, one of the worlds largest online retailers, may be about to ditch the Royal Mail ahead of what could soon be national strike action by UK postal workers.

International 10/7/09—
More than 90 percent of the two million people who took part in an unofficial citizens' poll this week in France voted against privatizing the postal service.

International 10/6/09—
Finland's postal service, now known as Itella, has announced plans to cut 360 jobs by the end of next year. Itella hopes that the majority of the jobs can be reduced through normal staff attrition.

International 10/5/09—
Muted rumblings of progress from the CWU last week, gave little away in terms of bringing the present dispute at Royal Mail to an end—not that anyone else cared too much.

International 10/2/09—
Effective October 1, 2009, Georg Pölzl assumes office as the Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of Austrian Post.

International 10/1/09—
The Universal Postal Union offered new insights into the impact of the crisis on the global postal sector during the opening session of its World Postal Business Forum in Hannover, Germany.

International 9/30/09—
Latvian Post is offering new, more affordable prices for direct mail delivery in Latvia, starting with a single tariff in Riga and surrounding regions.

International 9/29/09—
Australia Post’s first stand-alone corporate responsibility (CR) report has been praised for its high quality and robust approach to reporting. The report will be released in October.

International 9/28/09—
CEO Deutsche Post DHL recounts the secret of DHL's success as the world's leading express and logistics provider marks its 40th anniversary.

International 9/25/09—
The industrial action at Royal Mail is proving to be an opportunity for alternative delivery businesses that have created services to circumnavigate “snail mail.”

International 9/24/09—
New Zealand Post has delivered a net profit of $71.8 million in a year of mixed results across its diversified group of companies.

International 9/23/09—
Postal workers are striking across France over plans to open up La Poste – a move which unions fear will lead to privatization. Although five unions have called the strike, it is not clear how effective it will be.

International 9/22/09—
Japan’s new government may act this year to freeze the breakup and privatization of Japan Post, the state-run service that’s also the world’s largest bank by deposits.

International 9/21/09—
Cuba expressed its satisfaction with the result of the first round of talks with the United States to normalize the postal mail between both countries.

International 9/18/09—
The United States and Cuba will discuss today the possible resumption of long-suspended direct postal service in another small step toward seeking better relations after 50 years of hostilities.

International 9/17/09—
Royal Mail today attacked the CWU’s strike ballot as totally unjustified, damaging to customers, and a clear attempt to undermine the essential modernization of Royal Mail which is needed to survive.

International 9/16/09—
German publisher Georg von Holtzbrinck has teamed up with private logistics companies to create a 'hybrid mail' service using the Internet for quicker delivery at a lower cost.

International 9/15/09—
Canada Post is pleased to confirm Moya Greene’s reappointment as President and Chief Executive Officer until May 2012.

International 9/14/09—
With a difficult recession and only months away from Christmas, postal workers are receiving mounting criticism of plans to begin a national postal strike at Royal Mail.

International 9/11/09—
Indians working abroad may soon be able to send cash directly to their relatives at their doorsteps through the widespread postal network. The department of posts is set to enter into an agreement with Eurogiro.

International 9/10/09—
The Communication Workers Union has warned that mail backlogs are likely to increase unless the Royal Mail engages in 'meaningful negotiations' on changes agreed in 2007.

International 9/9/09—
The government has delayed the Oct. 1 integration of the parcel delivery operations of Japan Post Service Co. saying preparations were inadequate for the Oct. 1 launch and customers would be inconvenienced.

International 9/8/09—
New Zealand Post is launching the KiwiStamp™, which for the first time does not carry a face value. The KiwiStamp holds its value even if postage increases.

International 9/4/09—
In the coming year, Swiss Post is offering 750 new apprentices training positions. That’s 30 more than in the previous year. The number of apprentices at Swiss Post has increased steadily since 2004.

International 9/3/09—
TNT Post is celebrating five years of success since it launched its services in the UK in August 2004. It has experienced incredible growth from delivering 300 million items in its first year to over 2.5 billion today.

International 9/2/09—
Australia Post announced today it will enter the insurance sector by offering competitively-priced car insurance online and via the phone. Travel, home, and contents insurance will be offered in the coming months.

International 9/1/09—
The CWU says further disruption to mail services will begin next week as thousands of postal workers take strike action over "panic-driven cuts by increasingly aggressive managers at Royal Mail."

International 8/31/09—
Royal Mail today called on the Communication Workers Union to end its series of local strikes and to resume its involvement with change and modernization throughout the company.

International 8/28/09—
Australia Postal Corp. will invest $580 million the next three years to expand fast-growing revenue sources, such as identity verification and logistics services.

International 8/27/09—
Newly formed Postal Action Committee for Anti-Privatization of the employees of Pakistan Post has vowed to launch a comprehensive campaign to oppose the privatization of Pakistan Post.

International 8/26/09—
India’s department of posts (DoP) is set to spend up to $1 billion on its IT-led business revamp over the next five years with top tech firms like IBM, TCS, Infosys and Wipro.

International 8/25/09—
As many as 14,000 postal workers in South Africa were set to walk off the job to protest against an "apartheid" wage gap. The strike started on August 20th and will last until an agreement is reached.

International 8/24/09—
Global Forwarding has launched a China - Vietnam cross-border trucking service, connecting major origins in China with destinations in Vietnam.

International 8/21/09—
UPS has announced that its suite of integrated shipping tools now is available on DHgate.com, a leading China-based wholesale marketplace that enables global online transactions.

International 8/20/09—
The U.S. Postal Service^® and FedEx Express have renewed their alliance for Global Express Guaranteed, the Postal Service's date-certain international delivery service to more than 190 countries and territories.

International 8/19/09—
Thailand Post statistics show the number of letters being posted annually has risen from 1.05 billion in 2005 to 1.13 in 2006 and further to 1.3 billion in 2008. Most are business and direct-sales letters.

International 8/18/09—
Helge Israelsen has decided to resign from his position of CEO of Post Danmark A/S which he has held for 21 years. K. B. Pedersen, the current deputy CEO, has been appointed the new CEO of Post Danmark A/S.

International 8/17/09—
Industrial action at Royal Mail continues this week at various locations across the UK. The CWU said the action is in direct response to the terms of the 2007 pay and modernization agreement.

International 8/14/09—
Despite talks between Royal Mail and the CWU, union leaders say a fundamental disagreement over ongoing plans to modernize the service has left it no choice but to continue with industrial action.

International 8/13/09—
The tendencies shown in the first half of the 2009 financial year confirm the expectation that the international economic crisis will also pose a major challenge to Austrian Post.

International 8/12/09—
The UPU’s Global Monitoring System (GMS) is now live, beginning with 21 member countries deploying RFID to measure mail-service quality between participating nations.

International 8/11/09—
Royal Mail’s national First Class quality of service was well above target in July, despite localized industrial action by the CWU.

International 8/10/09—
Thailand Post Co Ltd is offering a 5 percent discount on shipment services to the small and medium-sized enterprises on the list of the Office for Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP).

International 8/7/09—
Latvian Post will introduce extensive cost saving measures in an attempt to put the service on a stronger financial footing, as well as increasing operational efficiency.

International 8/6/09—
Thomas Kipp will assume the role of the new CEO of DHL Global Mail with immediate effect. He will now oversee Deutsche Post DHL's international mail business.

International 8/5/09—
Twenty-one Posts started using the UPU's new Global Monitoring System (GMS) this week to evaluate the quality of their letter-post service using state-of-the-art RFID technology.

International 8/4/09—
FedEx Express announces the arrival in Paris of three state-of-the-art hybrid vehicles. The vehicles will be part of the FedEx Express fleet that manages pick-up and deliveries.

International 8/3/09—
Paul Murray has been appointed a non-executive director of Royal Mail Holdings as announced today. Mr. Murray, who will chair the Audit & Risk Committee, takes up his role this month.

International 7/31/09—
The French cabinet took the first step toward a possible privatization of the country's postal service, as it approved a bill that will turn La Poste into a joint-stock company on Jan. 1.

International 7/30/09—
The future of French postal operator, La Poste, still hangs in the balance after unions promised to fight any move to privatize the company.

International 7/29/09—
PostFinance posted strong growth again in the first half of 2009. It acquired 65,000 new customers and opened 136,000 new accounts.

International 7/28/09—
Royal Mail plans to reduce MailSort 3 and sustainable rates by around 3 percent by October 26th. This has far reaching implications for Royal Mail’s rivals, who will find that their rates no longer undercut MS3.

International 7/27/09—
Australia Post has lodged a draft notification with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) proposing to increase the basic postage rate by five cents, effective early 2010.

International 7/24/09—
Canada Post has announced the finalists for the 2009 Canada Post Community Literacy Awards. Included on the list of 50 finalists are stories of perseverance, overcoming great odds and the value of community support for literacy programs and their students.

International 7/23/09—
TNT is taking aim at Deutsche Post's domination of the German distribution market by teaming up with regional press groups to combine forces against Deutsche Post.

International 7/22/09—
Postal Services Group – a business within New Zealand Post Group – will further enhance productivity by moving to Google Apps, Postal Services chief executive officer Peter Fenton says.

International 7/21/09—
First-of-its-kind, DHL SCCE is supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board; aims to develop the nation's status as the world's leading logistics hub.

International 7/20/09—
The CWU will step up strike action next week in an effort to force Royal Mail to renegotiate its modernization plan. Three days of action are planned for July 25th, 27th and 28th.

International 7/17/09—
POSTA Uganda has announced it is going to extend its services to be able to reach the majority of households in Uganda. The initiative will be completed in five years time.

International 7/16/09—
At a time of an unprecedented mail volume decline and challenging trading conditions, there have been 237 redundancies throughout the New Zealand Post Group in the first half of this year.

International 7/15/09—
Australia Post will soon stop supplying plastic bags to customers in its retail outlets to help reduce their impact on the environment.

International 7/14/09—
The Communication Workers Union has confirmed that strike action will take place on July 17 in London, Edinburgh, Bristol, Darlington, Stoke, Plymouth, Leamington Spa, Norfolk and Essex.

International 7/13/09—
The U.S. and Poste Italiene jointly establish a cyber-crime force aimed at preventing identity theft, computer hacking, and other computer-based crime.

International 7/10/09—
Postal workers began three days of strike action in London starting Wednesday beginning with delivery workers, distribution and logistics on Thursday, and mail centers on Friday.

International 7/8/09—
Swiss Post is deploying 110 new gas-powered vehicles to ensure environmentally friendly parcel delivery. Swiss Post has the largest gas-powered fleet in the country.

International 7/7/09—
Steve Lawson, editor for Hellmail Postal News, has backed calls for a concentrated effort to make Post Office^™ branches a key focal point for banking services.

International 7/6/09—
Canada Post has submitted a regulatory proposal to set the domestic basic letter rate (BLR) for letters weighing 30g or less for a five-year period starting January 11, 2010.

International 6/29/09—
Canada Post has submitted a regulatory proposal to set the domestic basic letter rate (BLR) for letters weighing 30g or less for a five-year period starting January 11, 2010.

International 6/26/09—
Happy 200th birthday Australia Post! Two hundred years ago today, Australia’s first Postmaster collected 36 letters which had just arrived from England.

International 6/25/09—
The owners of Post Danmark A/S and Posten AB have completed the work to prepare the establishment of a joint group with 50,000 staff members and revenues of SEK 45 billion.

International 6/24/09—
Internal affairs minister Tsutomu Sato may review the four-way split of Japan Post services, saying it needs to be managed based on the current situation.

International 6/23/09—
Beginning next week, it will be even easier and cheaper to mail your letters with Swiss Post thanks to the reduced number of weight classes. All letter prices will include VAT.

International 6/22/09—
The CWU’s strike action in parts of London today is completely at odds with its repeated claim to support modernization and "to introduce new ways of working throughout the business."

International 6/19/09—
Royal Mail today emphasized an urgent need to continue making changes to its business in a "calm, measured, and structured way" and invited continuous involvement and dialogue with its unions and employees.

International 6/18/09—
Canada Post issued its annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report. The Report presents Canada Post’s CSR objectives, strategies, and performance for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008.

International 6/17/09—
TNT Express starts international road freight and parcel delivery service to four eastern and central European countries. The new routes allow for a significant upgrade to the company’s Economy Express service.

International 6/16/09—
Japan's internal affairs minister resigned last Friday in a dispute with the Prime Minister over the management of Japan Post, ahead of a looming election. Many in the ruling party insisted Nishikawa should stay.

International 6/15/09—
The Supervisory Board of Austrian Post named Georg Pölzl, 52, as the new Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of Austrian Post, effective October 1, 2009.

International 6/12/09—
Ten thousand postal workers will take strike action on Friday, June 19, as Royal Mail refuses to negotiate change and pushes ahead with arbitrary cuts which will damage services.

International 6/11/09—
DPD in Russia became the winner in the nomination ‘Logistics Express Operator.’ For the second year running, DPD was also awarded the title ‘Leader of Russia’s Logistics Services Market.'

International 6/10/09—
Some 200 Egyptian postal workers called for the formation of an independent union at a recent press conference, followed by a protest on the steps of the Journalists’ Syndicate.

International 6/9/09—
Actions speak louder than words is the Universal Postal Union’s message on World Environment Day. The UPU has partnered with PostEurop and IPC to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

International 6/8/09—
Australia Post can help save Australia’s small and medium sized businesses an average of almost 50 percent on published rates for international deliveries, opening up new business opportunities.

International 6/5/09—
The International Post Corporation (IPC) will publish its results for 2008 carbon emissions for 21 of the world’s leading postal operators in the first ever postal sector sustainability report this December.

International 6/4/09—
UPS has acquired a unit of Intereuropa Globalni Logisticni Servis that has been acting as its agent for small package delivery in Slovenia since 1991.

International 6/3/09—
The government is considering abandoning controversial plans to sell a minority stake in Royal Mail after first-round offers fell well short of expectations. The government plans to press on with the Postal Services^® bill.

International 6/2/09—
Private equity group CVC Partners has offered to pay just under 2 billion pounds for a 30 percent stake in state-owned postal group Royal Mail. The bid is higher than a rival offer from Dutch logistics group TNT.

International 6/1/09—
Royal Mail workers in London have voted to go on strike over what they describe as "arbitrary cuts." Difficulties between Royal Mail and Communication Workers Union members have been raging for some time.

International 5/29/09—
New figures from Royal Mail's annual customer quality of service report reveal that it met mail targets for the 2009-09 financial year, in addition to achieving target-beating performance.

International 5/28/09—
Flydubai, the state-owned low cost airline in Dubai, has announced that the Emirates Post Office, which has more than 100 offices all over the United Arab Emirates, will act as the airline's selling agent.

International 5/27/09—
Royal Mail today announced Lands’ End as the first catalogue company to sign up to Sustainable MailTM, its new bulk mail service offering a lower price tariff for organizations that meets environmental standards.

International 5/26/09—
New Zealand Post is increasing the price of sending mail overseas starting July 7, 2009, after seven years of holding the price despite increasing costs.

International 5/22/09—
Swiss Post views the draft legislation approved today by the Federal Council as an appropriate basis for developing the postal market. Swiss Post will continue to assert itself as a contemporary, competitive company.

International 5/21/09—
The UPU and the ITU will publish a book about how the postal sector’s use of ICTs will reduce the digital gap and bring improvements to service. The book will launch in Sept 2010.

International 5/20/09—
The Communication Workers Union has renewed its offensive against the government over its plans to sell at least 30% of the state-owned Royal Mail to another operator.

International 5/19/09—
The Communication Workers Union yesterday lent it's support to some UK postal workers who had refused to deliver election material produced by the British National Party.

International 5/15/09—
Austria's state-controlled mail operator, Osterreichische Post, says it plans to outsource its letter delivery over the next years as it prepares for the end of its letter monopoly in 2011.

International 5/14/09—
Despite falling mail volume, Royal Mail saw its profits double last year to £321 million. This is likely to fuel further claims by the CWU that the group remains profitable.

International 5/13/09—
The row over the partial privatization of Royal Mail has been a political tennis match for some weeks, but the government in now at the 'match point' stage.

International 5/12/09—
The UPU is holding a conference on e-commerce in Hong Kong from May 21-23, 2009. Hosted by Hongkong Post, the event will bring together industry professionals from UPU member countries.

International 5/11/09—
21 Grams is pleased to announce a new and exciting relationship between 21 Grams AB, a postal management company, and Sword Apak, a provider of Mail sortation and address cleansing applications.

International 5/8/09—
Consumer Focus, which took over from Postwatch and Energywatch last year, said this week that the debate over a private stake in Royal Mail threatens to drown out the voice of consumers.

International 5/7/09—
All items on the agenda were approved at today’s Annual General Meeting of Austrian Post, which was attended by some 400 guests. Details and voting results are available at www.post.at/ir.

International 5/6/09—
Canada Post asks all pet owners to be responsible and keep their pets away from delivery areas. On average, there are 500 dog-related incidents involving Canada Post employees per year.

International 5/5/09—
Ministers today rejected a compromise plan for Royal Mail to be turned into a not-for-profit company that has been floated by Labor activists eager to avert a rebellion over the company's part-privatization proposition bill.

International 5/4/09—
Australia Post will launch a national Workplace Giving Program on July 1, 2009. The program is a demonstration of the way Australians invest in the community.

International 5/1/09—
Sparked by a company pay freeze and changes to working conditions, Royal Mail workers in Scotland are to stage a one-day strike.

International 4/30/09—
The Communication Workers Union has accused the UK government of 'misusing' public funds to pay for specialist advice in the run-up to a partial sale of state-owned postal operator, the Royal Mail.

International 4/29/09—
German mail customers are benefiting more than almost any other country from the stable price of a standard letter. This is the result of Deutsche Post's latest European letter price survey for 2009.

International 4/28/09—
TNT announces the signing of an agreement to acquire Expresso Araçatuba Transportes e Logística S.A. TNT will acquire 100% control of the company with effect from the closing date of the transaction.

International 4/27/09—
TNT has signed an agreement with Singapore Post and Royal Mail on the exit of Singapore Post from the joint venture Spring Global Mail. Singapore Post will acquire the Asia-Pacific business of Spring Global Mail.

International 4/24/09—
Foreign companies will continue to be barred from delivering express letters in China's domestic market based on a new law approved Friday.

International 4/23/09—
TNT Post and the DMA have signed a letter of understanding pledging commitment to working together to promote environmental best practice within the direct mail sector.

International 4/22/09—
Austrian Post AG is considering an unusual option as part of its current cost-cutting measures: making churches post offices. The Post is currently negotiating with the Catholic Church in Styria.

International 4/21/09—
Deutsche Post DHL, the world's largest logistics provider, saw volume declines increase across all products and divisions in the first quarter compared with the fourth quarter of 2008.

International 4/20/09—
DHL Global Forwarding, the world's leading air and ocean freight company, has chosen Sri Lanka as its Asia Pacific launch pad for two of its latest innovations for ocean freight shipping.

International 4/17/09—
UK postal regulator, Postcomm, has announced it is to make no changes to existing Royal Mail price control arrangements. The decision follows discussion with interested parties.

International 4/16/09—
Interbrand released its Best Australian Brands 2009 report, which ranks brands based on their brand value. Australia Post was valued at $900 million and ranked 11th of Australia’s top 20 brands.

International 4/15/09—
Itella Group will begin statutory labor negotiations next week in Finland. The negotiations will affect both administrative and production functions and concern around 2,200 people.

International 4/14/09—
Starting June 1, Hermes Austria has decided to use also the parcel logistics services of Austrian Post. Over the last 18 months, Austrian Post has substantially modernized its parcel logistics operations.

International 4/13/09—
Canada Post has issued two domestic rate stamps (54-cent) as part of an international postal awareness campaign on the effects of global warming. The theme is “Preserve the Polar Regions and Glaciers.”

International 4/10/09—
Hellmail is about to run a series of information-based features on the choice of courier and mail operators now available to businesses. The idea is to provide informative articles about 'choice' in the mail business.

International 4/9/09—
Business Post Group plc today issues the following pre-close trading update for the year ended March 31. Group revenues for the financial year increased 7 percent on the previous year.

International 4/8/09—
UPS Freight announced it would offer door-to-door service to and from Mexico, complete with UPS customs brokerage capabilities and single invoicing for all services between the US, Canada, and Mexico.

International 4/7/09—
Bids for the sale of a 30 percent stake in Royal Mail are due in April, signaling the government is pushing ahead with the controversial sale.

International 4/6/09—
Deutsche Post, Europe's biggest mail company, is bidding for a stake in the Royal Mail along with Dutch TNT and private equity firm CVC. They have just begun the last round of bidding.

International 4/3/09—
Royal Mail has today launched a new comprehensive data solution to help businesses deliver more relevant and targeted marketing communications and increase sales.

International 4/2/09—
TNT and Con-way Freight start partnership to provide cost-efficient express freight services to/from the USA. The agreement establishes Con-way Freight as TNT’s primary road transportation partner.

International 4/1/09—
FedEx SmartPost announced today that it has expanded its service into Canada for U.S. shippers by using the residential delivery capabilities of the Canada Post Corporation.

International 3/31/09—
The Direct Mail Advisory Board of the UPU has launched a new guide to help Posts in developing and least developed countries to better understand and promote direct mail.

International 3/30/09—
The UK Postal Union says that Royal Mail remains profitable and that a strategic partnership is unnecessary and would lead to a worse quality of service.

International 3/27/09—
CEOs of the world’s largest postal companies, as well as major postal users, will gather at UPU headquarters April 2 in Switzerland, to talk about the impact of the financial and economic crisis on their sector.

International 3/26/09—
Postcomm is beginning an investigation into the way Royal Mail prices access and retail packets services for business users. This issue was highlighted to Postcomm through two complaints.

International 3/25/09—
Swiss Post is adjusting its prices for various letters as of July 1, 2009. The main measures involve making all letters subject to VAT and thus introducing a comprehensive price reduction for most business customers.

International 3/24/09—
ComReg, the National Regulatory Authority for the postal industry in Ireland, has published the results of its sixth independent annual report on the Quality of Service performance of An Post.

International 3/23/09—
Postal and sizable express delivery companies in China reaped business revenue of CNY 8.06 billion in 2008, rising 17.2 percent from a year earlier.

International 3/20/09—
The UK Government may have come up against a brick wall on its plans to part-privatize the Royal Mail. Part-privatization could see up to 49% of Royal Mail sold for a knock-down price.

International 3/19/09—
In a year when the wrong holiday decision could cost UK tourists money they can ill afford, a new poll for Post Office^® Travel Services has revealed that consumers are caught in a fog of eurozone confusion.

International 3/18/09—
TNT expands the coverage of its Economy Express service to and from Malta to an additional 75 countries worldwide. The expansion is effective as of this week.

International 3/17/09—
Britain may postpone a planned partial privatization of the Royal Mail until the private bidders can find more capital to buy up to 49 percent of the publicly owned mail service.

International 3/16/09—
Swiss Post and the price watchdog are looking for an amicable solution regarding Swiss Post's letter and parcel prices. Swiss Post is postponing its new pricing activities scheduled for April 1.

International 3/13/09—
A strong increase in volume in the Logistics segment and high level of activity in the ICT segment helped Norway Post to increase its revenue by seven percent in 2008.

International 3/12/09—
Business diversification strategies have helped the New Zealand Post Group achieve a net profit of $52.8 million in a challenging half year ending December 31, 2008.

International 3/11/09—
Australia Post is celebrating its 200th birthday this year by highlighting the important role postal services have played in the country’s development with planned events.

International 3/10/09—
The Communication Workers Union said this week that plans by Lord Mandelson to part-privatize the Royal Mail conflict with the British constitution. The CWU's stance is backed by hundreds of Labor MPs.

International 3/9/09—
As companies shed jobs, and in some cases go altogether, the impact on Royal Mail this year is likely to follow the trend being felt in the U.S. and elsewhere, where mail volume has dipped markedly.

International 3/6/09—
The CEO of Poste Italiane and the General Director of Posta Shqiptare signed a cooperation agreement in Tirana today for the development of the Albanian national Postal Service™.

International 3/5/09—
The search is on for Killer Ideas in the highly competitive Direct Marketing Sector as the An Post Direct Marketing Awards take place in May with a final call for entries by April 8.

International 3/4/09—
Austria's Postal Service^® will outsource about 20% of its Post Offices™ this year to prepare the company for the liberalization of European Union letter services in 2011.

International 3/3/09—
U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said his government will spend $2.7 billion on Royal Mail’s Post Office™ network, to maintain the “universal service” obligation.

International 3/2/09—
Thousands of Belgian postal workers have started a three-day strike to protest working conditions and the threat of job losses. The Belgian Postal Service™ employs some 30,000 people.

International 2/27/09—
Deutsche Post World Net reported full-year of earnings before interest and tax excluding non-recurring effects of 2.41 billion euros, fully meeting its latest target.

International 2/26/09—
Royal Mail will fund a new free-of-charge industry body focusing on direct mail providing news, research, and case studies for an audience consisting of the UK’s top 3,000 advertisers and 500 key agencies.

International 2/25/09—
Canada Post new postal rates went into effect on February 23 for Lettermail weighing more than 30 grams and Oversize Lettermail.

International 2/24/09—
The postal workers' union will ballot to sever links with Labor in the next few weeks unless plans to sell a stake in Royal Mail are scrapped.

International 2/23/09—
The Royal Mail is to celebrate Wales with a Miniature Sheet on February 26, the fourth in a series which depicts the four main regions of the United Kingdom.

International 2/20/09—
The acting Postmaster General Mr. Y F Chan has announced a new e-commerce collaboration between Hong Kong Post and Korea Post.

International 2/19/09—
The UK Government is to push ahead with plans to part-privatize the Royal Mail in the face of an overwhelming rejection by the Communication Workers Union and over 100 Labor MPs.

International 2/18/09—
TNT posts their 2008 Q4 development results and dividends, including their indications for what lies ahead in 2009.

International 2/17/09—
Royal Mail announces the launch of Mailshots Online, a new web tool that enables small businesses to create their own personalized mail campaigns in less than 30 minutes.

International 2/16/09—
TNT announces the acquisition of LIT Cargo, a leading express delivery company in Chile. The acquisition gives TNT a strong nationwide road network in Chile.

International 2/13/09—
FedEx Express announced today it is increasing its footprint in Mexico to improve the company's service capabilities both domestically and internationally.

International 2/12/09—
The Chinese mainland and Taiwan will start two-way postal remittance services for the first time in 60 years. The two-way services are expected to begin mid-February.

International 2/11/09—
The UPU's statistical database is now available online. It provides a dynamic overview of postal development in each country and contains data from over 200 countries or territories.

International 2/10/09—
Australia Post will donate $1 million to the Victorian Bushfire Relief Fund and collect donations in more than 4,000 Post Offices™ across the country.

International 2/9/09—
The proposed privatization of Royal Mail has intensified with the union threatening to withdraw it's funding of the Labor Party if the government sells off part of the company to an investor.

International 2/6/09—
The Royal Mail is to hold a two-day summit with union leaders next month to discuss modernizing the business in a move expected to lead to job cuts.

International 2/5/09—
Postal deliveries across the UK continued to be disrupted after more snow fell overnight. Some of the areas hardest hit in England are the East Midlands, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.

International 2/4/09—
For the first time in more than six years, Swiss Post intends to adjust its prices for shipping domestic parcels effective April 1, 2009.

International 2/2/09—
A historical merger between The Swedish Ministry of Enterprise and the Danish Ministry of Transport has been made. The two companies have signed the final shareholders' agreement.

International 1/30/09—
Hundreds of thousands of French workers mounted nationwide strikes and protests yesterday to demand President Nicolas Sarkozy do far more to fight the economic crisis.

International 1/28/09—
Royal Mail Group welcomes new chairman Donald Brydon. Brydon has a strong track record across a range of business sectors and the skills needed for Royal Mail to take the next crucial stage of its development.

International 1/27/09—
DHL Express strengthens regional leadership in the International Americas with expansion of infrastructure and operating capacity in Mexico.

International 1/26/09—
Canada Post reaches out to the public to help reduce slips and falls during icy winter weather. The objective is to reduce the number of accidents and injuries to those outdoors—including Post Office™ employees.

International 1/23/09—
The British Government will not introduce laws that impose environmental constraints on the DM industry if the sector gets behind the new BSI standard for green direct marketing.

International 1/22/09—
Royal Mail revenue rose nearly 3 percent during the first nine months of the 2008-2009 financial year. This is despite the economic downturn and increase of email and other electronic communication uses.

International 1/21/09—
Effective immediately, customers of DHL Freight can take advantage of the newly established connection between DHL's high performance road transport services in Europe and the Middle East.

International 1/20/09—
Palestine came one step closer last week to being able to participate in direct mail exchanges with all UPU member countries. They hope to make future progress at the April 2009 meeting.

International 1/19/09—
Deutsche Post World Net, the world's largest express and logistics provider, reported today that it has met its 2008 profit target, thanks to strict cost management and cash conservation.

International 1/16/09—
Russia's postal system is set for a major shake-up after it’s CEO steps down and banker Andrey Kazmin is set to take his place. Big changes are expected under Kazmin.

International 1/15/09—
Royal Mail's VAT-free status has been backed by an advocate-general at the European Court of Justice. Royal Mail remains, for the moment, the country's only "universal service provider."

International 1/14/09—
China's postal industry received $20.5 billion in revenue in 2008, up 15.9 percent. Revenues of postal services rose 14 percent to 96 billion yuan.

International 1/13/09—
Today sees the launch of a new set of 'British Design Classic' stamps from Royal Mail, celebrating a mixed bag of iconic objects and flights of fancy of British design.

International 1/12/09—
Canada Post announces today the domestic Letter mail rate will increase by from 52 to 54 cents. Other rate increases that apply to non-regulated mail also take effect today.

International 1/9/09—
The European Commission reports EU reforms are on track but more progress is needed in some Member States. The creation of an Internal Postal Market is a crucial element of the EU's single market policy.

International 1/8/09—
Although both DHL and UPS had hoped to reach a deal before the new year, both parties still expect to reach an agreement. DHL will exit the U.S. domestic shipping market on Jan. 30.

International 1/7/09—
Deutsche Post World Net CFO John Allan will resign from Board of Management in June 2009. Allan joined the company in December 2005.

International 1/6/09—
Royal Mail is refusing to introduce an all-Ireland postal tariff. Differences in cost between the two jurisdictions have been blamed.

International 1/5/09—
Civilian Marilyn Baldwin is urging the government to change the Postal Services Act in order to put an end to bogus mail coming into the UK by stopping it further up the chain.

International 12/31/08—
India Post and Deutsche Post World Net joined hands to provide a unique international express delivery service, WorldNet Express (WNX), to locations spread over 220 countries.

International 12/30/08—
Royal Mail is set to launch a campaign to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the postcode. It will stress the importance of using the letters and numbers that make up postcodes on mailed items.

International 12/29/08—
Royal Mail‘s Post Office^® launches a new Internet Buddy Guide. The new guide helps Web users get a friend or relative online in a way both parties can enjoy.

International 12/24/08—
Royal Mail announces the price of First and Second Class stamps for standard letters weighing up to 100g will rise by 3p, to 39p and 30p respectively, starting April 6, 2009.

International 12/19/08—
Customers across the country will be breathing a sigh of relief after postal workers canceled strike action at sorting offices in Coventry, Crewe, Bolton, Stockport and Oxford.

International 12/18/08—
According to the Parcel Post Index conducted by the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, Swiss Post boasts the second-lowest prices for parcel post in Europe.

International 12/17/08—
An independent review of Britain's state-owned postal service is expected to call for the company to be partly privatized and could result in the sale of stakes in the business to foreign companies.

International 12/16/08—
With the USO under threat, the government backs the TNT Royal Mail partnership. The choices faced were either a downgrading of the universal service or acting now to secure the future of Royal Mail.

International 12/15/08—
Canada Post and the Union of Postal Communication Employees (UPCE) have reached a new tentative agreement. Picket activity may continue until the results of the vote are known.

International 12/12/08—
Management joined forces with employee representatives on new postal market regulations, as the Supervisory Board of Austrian Post approved the 2009 budget by a majority vote.

International 12/11/08—
Indian postal employees will go on an indefinite strike across the country on December 17 in protest against the "non-acceptance" of their just and legitimate demands by the Central government.

International 12/9/08—
A B.C. court has granted Canada Post an injunction to stop striking workers from disrupting mail service in the province. About 2,100 workers across Canada went on strike in November.

International 12/8/08—
British Airways has awarded DHL Exel Supply Chain a 10-year, multi million dollar annual contract to handle in-flight services. The contract begins April 2010.

International 12/5/08—
Canada Post workers are unilaterally leaving the picket lines and returning to their jobs across the country. PSAC members walked out Nov. 17 over workers’ contractual rights to claim and bank sick leave.

International 12/4/08—
Taiwan's top financial regulator proposed allowing the government-owned postal bank to put some of its deposits in private banks, in order to spur more lending options.

International 12/3/08—
Latvia is increasing its postal prices by as much as 29% to reflect rising operating costs, salary increases, and a Latvian currency crisis which has held back its plans to adopt the Euro this year.

International 12/2/08—
Royal Mail has taken on more than 3,800 "address detectives" as it prepares to handle more than 300 million poorly addressed and written Christmas cards and letters during the busy holiday season.

International 12/1/08—
Royal Mail’s postmen and women delivered First and Second Class Mail^® at target-beating performances this summer, according to the latest independent research on Royal Mail’s quality of service.

International 11/26/08—
Royal Mail is planning to launch a direct advertising package called 'Responsible Mail'. The new initiative is aimed at improving the public perception of direct mail as environmentally friendly.

International 11/25/08—
The Liberal Democratic Party is once again being rocked by feuding over postal privatization. Many believe it will prove difficult to resolve intraparty differences over the matter.

International 11/24/08—
Slovakia is preparing to appeal against a decision made by Brussels, which declared its intention to re-monopolize part of its Postal Service^™ illegally last month.

International 11/21/08—
UK Mail is now promoting hybrid mail in addition to its regular business mail services by introducing “Imail,” the only national alternative to the First-Class^® Postal Service^™.

International 11/20/08—
The new UPU Postal Operations Council (POC) and Council of Administration (CA) have just completed their first session and laid solid groundwork for the coming four years.

International 11/19/08—
New Zealand Post launches a new online service to help household customers redirect mail. The online service ensures customer’s mail follows them when their postal address changes.

International 11/18/08—
Royal Mail today unveiled a package of Christmas initiatives, including evening and Sunday deliveries, as it prepares to deliver an estimated 140 million items ordered online this Christmas.

International 11/17/08—
DHL customers can now prepare their parcels for global dispatch from their home PC. The program is easily accessible and provides direct assistance on how to enter data.

International 11/14/08—
Canada Post reassures customers that mail delivery will continue, despite the fact that talks between Canada Post and the UPCE have broken off and the union has filed a 72-hour notice of strike action.

International 11/13/08—
The Post Office^™ card account is to stay with Post Office Ltd. The news will be welcome by thousands of post offices across the country in fear of their businesses drying up if the POCA account had been lost.

International 11/12/08—
TNT initiative aims to change driving behavior, reduce costs, and encourage more fuel efficient and safer driving, through the “Drive Me Challenge.”

International 11/11/08—
Hundreds of postal workers and their families are to join businesses, politicians, and members of the public in a march this Saturday. The march is against the closure of the MK mail center.

International 11/10/08—
Minister for Postal Services^™ Mir Israrullah Zehri confirms Pakistan Post will be modernized and upgraded throughout the country and brought at par with the international standards.

International 11/7/08—
NIPOST Regulatory Commission is seeking a bill for the creation of a new body to regulate the activities of postal and courier services. The bill would be sent to the National Assembly before December.

International 11/6/08—
Finland launches world’s first transparent stamp. Designed by Nina Rintala, and called "The Frosty Night Stamp," it has been printed on special film.

International 11/5/08—
China and Taiwan will establish direct flights across the Taiwan Strait and agreed on shipping and postal links, following the highest-level talks between the two sides on the island in almost 60 years.

International 11/4/08—
Parcelforce Worldwide announces the launch of two new delivery services, improving choice and convenience for businesses and their customers.

International 11/3/08—
The new Postal Operations Council (POC) has formally adopted a structure focused on product lines and designated the countries that will chair the various groups within four broad committees.

International 10/31/08—
Iran’s government is forming a government-run postal organization, which will take over some of the services offered by the existing state-controlled Iran Postal Service™ Company.

International 10/29/08—
At a time when every penny counts, millions of people in the UK are over-paying for protection they may not need, according to the latest protection study from the Post Office^™.

International 10/28/08—
Post-Switch, an impartial postal analysts and advisory service, says that Royal Mail has failed to react to the commercial world, describing it as one of the most inefficient operators in Europe.

International 10/27/08—
The Belgian Postal Service^®, La Poste, has announced that it is being forced to increase postage prices starting January 1, 2009.

International 10/24/08—
Royal Mail doubles its interim operating profit as its branch network division bounced back into the black. There is still an urgent need to for Royal Mail to step up the pace of modernization.

International 10/23/08—
The UK direct mail industry supports the move of the partial privatization of the Royal Mail, expecting it to be a positive move for the industry.

International 10/22/08—
Canada Post workers gave their bargaining team the strongest strike mandate in their union's history. Almost 90% voted in favor of the strike.

International 10/20/08—
Private postal companies are rapidly gaining ground on the Royal Mail in Scotland, with one firm tripling its business since the start of the year.

International 10/17/08—
Postal Services^™ of small rural communities are disappearing, as increasing numbers of shopkeepers decide that doubling as a Post Office^™ is not worth the bother.

International 10/16/08—
Taiwan and mainland China are poised to set up a direct postal link, which will halve the delivery time and postage cost. The postal link will cover parcels and express-delivery packages.

International 10/15/08—
On Oct. 9, Romanian Post National Company (CNPR) officially opened six Post Offices^™ in five cities in Spain, where there are large Romanian communities.

International 10/14/08—
Postal Corporation of Kenya is opening opportunities for investors as it seeks individuals to run some of its branches on a franchise basis.

International 10/13/08—
The prices charged by Deutsche Post for letters and postcards sent within Germany will remain unchanged next year. This is the seventh year Germany remains stable at 55 cents.

International 10/10/08—
Deutsche Post World Net has announced the appointment of Joe Phelan to the position of Chief Executive Officer of DHL Global Mail, effective October 1, 2008.

International 10/9/08—
The number of badly addressed letters and packets handled by the Royal Mail is set to reach 25 million since the start of the year. Around 600,000 items of mail every week cannot be delivered.

International 10/8/08—
FedEx Express has started operations for FedEx Express Nacional, a domestic overnight service in Mexico, and the opening of the Toluca Hub Multiplex, its new center of operations for domestic shipments.

International 10/7/08—
Canada Post has again been chosen as one of Canada’s Top 100 employers by Mediacorp, which selected the 100 out of 16,000 companies invited to participate.

International 10/6/08—
Royal Mail today launched a new service that gives its wholesale customers a discounted price for direct mail campaigns that meet criteria designed to reduce their environmental impact.

International 10/3/08—
During today’s Post-Expo 2008 World Postal Business Forum in London, postal operators were encouraged to focus on innovation to remain competitive.

International 10/2/08—
A national strike vote is underway for some Canada Post workers, but the Crown corporation says delivery of services isn't threatened. Voting continues until Oct. 17.

International 10/1/08—
Itella has signed an agreement with SmartPost to use their automated parcel terminal network of 20 machines in Estonia as drop-off points to consumer parcels.

International 9/30/08—
Swiss Post has published the best annual report in Switzerland, ahead of Georg Fischer and Holcim. This is the largest and most comprehensive study of its kind in Switzerland.

International 9/29/08—
Effective Sept. 30, the U.S. Census Bureau is requiring mandatory filing of export information through the Automated Export System (AES) or through AESDirect for all international shipments.

International 9/25/08—
TNT will set up eight new branches in China’s economic hotspots this year. They will enable TNT to better capture the business opportunities in China and bring them closer to high-tech industries.

International 9/24/08—
Deutsche Post is to lose its VAT advantage from 2010. Competitors such as TNT Post say that Royal Mail's VAT advantage puts rivals at a disadvantage.

International 9/23/08—
Tens of thousands of French postal workers went on strike on today, in protest of plans to open the country's mail network to private investment.

International 9/22/08—
The government has begun a search for a successor to Allan Leighton, the chairman of the Royal Mail, who will step down from his post after seven years when his term expires next March.

International 9/19/08—
FedEx Corp. reports earnings of $1.23 per diluted share for the first quarter ending August 31, compared to $1.58 per diluted share a year ago. Challenging global economic conditions are listed as the reason for the decline.

International 9/18/08—
A commission will look at the future of the French Post Office^™ La Poste, which is aiming for partial privatization in 2010. Unions are opposed of the sale and plan to strike in protest on Sept. 23.

International 9/17/08—
Two logistics centers of Itella Logistics have attained the highest security certification of the TAPA (Transported Asset Protection Association). The certified facilities are in Vantaa and Kotka, Finland.

International 9/16/08—
German logistics company Deutsche Post AG says it is not considering a complete pull out from its U.S. operations, denying a weekend press report.

International 9/15/08—
German mail and logistics group Deutsche Post AG could pull out of its DHL Express business in the United States, where it is continuing to suffer heavy losses.

International 9/12/08—
The UPU is looking to enhance access to Universal Postal Service™ in the electronic world by establishing a top-level domain on the Internet – post.

International 9/11/08—
UPS Capital offers small businesses new global trade finance solution. UPS Capital Cargo Finance is designed for U.S. companies with annual revenues up to $50 million.

International 9/10/08—
French postal workers plan to strike on Sept. 23. The national one-day strike and demonstration is to oppose the planned privatization of the Postal Service^®.

International 9/9/08—
The Post Office^® has extended its savings range by launching a cash ISA paying a leading rate of 6.25 percent, available immediately.

International 9/8/08—
Itella Information is expanding its operations to Russia and Central Europe. During early autumn 2008, Itella Information starts operations in Moscow and Bratislava.

International 9/5/08—
Itella Information is expanding its operations to Russia and Central Europe in early autumn. At the end of the year, Itella Information will also start in Hungary, Czech Republic, and Austria.

International 9/4/08—
Logistics and mailing company Deutsche Post AG denies a report of a delay in its North American restructuring program and still plans to cooperate with United Parcel Service Inc. in 2009.

International 9/3/08—
FedEx Express has upgraded its next-business-day delivery service FedEx International Priority^® from Europe to major U.S. East Coast cities.

International 9/2/08—
It looks likely that Royal Mail could be split up and areas of the business sold to private investors in an attempt to secure the future of the UK's universal service.

International 8/29/08—
The PhilPost and the USPS^® are working towards the establishment of a fast, secure, and low-cost remittance project. It will benefit the 4.4 million Filipinos in the US and their millions of relatives in the Philippines.

International 8/28/08—
FedEx Express Nacional Extends Portfolio of Services and Introduces World Class Express Shipping across Mexico. Operations begin on Oct. 6.

International 8/27/08—
South Africans will soon be able to access a wider variety of government services including payment of traffic fines and driver’s license renewals at Post Office^™ outlets.

International 8/26/08—
Royal Mail and China Post are going for gold in an historic joint issue of a special set of stamps to mark the handover of the Olympic Flag from Beijing to London.

International 8/25/08—
UPS has officially opened its newest flight training facility, a 27,000-square-foot center that will reduce the time spent away from home for training by Anchorage-based pilots.

International 8/22/08—
The chief executive of DHL, parent Deutsche Post AG, has defended the company's controversial U.S. restructuring measures in a letter to U.S. Senator John McCain.

International 8/21/08—
Despite a weakening economy, sales advance for the newly merged Posten and Post Danmark, according to the January-June 2008 interim report.

International 8/20/08—
FedEx Express and the world’s largest express transportation company, have enhanced their Web-based shipping tool. FedEx customers will enjoy faster service across the Asia-Pacific region.

International 8/19/08—
The Spanish Post Office^™ will invest in PDAs for delivery workers in Spain. It plans to buy an additional 7,000 in line with technical improvements to Spain's postal network.

International 8/18/08—
TNT and Postal Corporation have signed a parcel delivery agreement that will allow the companies to extend their services and value-additions to customers.

International 8/15/08—
South Africa Post Office^™ has added 5.7-million postal addresses since March 2008. The project aimed to provide formal addresses to thousands of South Africans who previously did not have them.

International 8/14/08—
Postwatch will soon to be absorbed into a larger multi-consumer watchdog known as the “National Consumer Council” on Sept. 30th. Adjustments to its paperwork are being made.

International 8/13/08—
Deutsche Post World Net chief executive Frank Appel defends planned job cuts at the company's U.S. DHL business, insisting that the reductions are needed to turn the division around.

International 8/11/08—
UPS is making an informal approach to buy TNT NV for $15 billion and the companies have held initial talks about a takeover. UPS may plan to sell TNT's postal division to a private-equity buyer.

International 8/8/08—
Qatar will host the 25th Universal Postal Congress (UPC) in 2012. This was decided by a vote held at the 24th UPC, currently in session.

International 8/7/08—
Israeli and Palestinian postal authorities have pledged to start facilitating direct exchanges between the Palestinian Authority and the UPU member countries. Mail will transit via Amman, Jordan.

International 8/6/08—
The UPU will focus its efforts on finalizing a new global monitoring system for the quality of service, which is expected to become operational in 2010.

International 8/5/08—
TNT N.V. will issue a benchmark Eurobond. The bonds will only be offered to institutional investors outside the U.S. and proceeds of the transaction will be used for general business purposes.

International 8/4/08—
For the 10th year running, New Zealand Post is making free postage-paid envelopes available for community organizations across New Zealand, through its annual Community Post program.

International 7/31/08—
Australia Post will raise their stamp prices 5 cents, effective September 15. It will need approval from the federal government before implementing the increase.

International 7/30/08—
China's private delivery companies are among the hardest-hit sectors reporting declining profit margins, due to the increase in fuel costs.

International 7/29/08—
DMA vice president Charles Prescott presents the UPU Consultative Committee Chairman's Report to Congress regarding CC activities. The 24th Universal Postal Congress will end on August 12.

International 7/28/08—
France is looking for new funding mechanisms to ensure citizens in its remotest areas continue to receive an affordable, six-days-a-week service.

International 7/25/08—
The SwissPostCertificate is now available at a more attractive introductory rate. The form of digital ID, it can be likened to a passport or ID card for the digital world.

International 7/24/08—
France's parliament has passed a law which effectively ends the country's compulsory 35-hour working week. The new law should come into effect in August.

International 7/23/08—
A new global strategy aimed at improving and harmonizing the world’s postal services is the focus of a three-week congress in Geneva led by the United Nations UPU today.

International 7/22/08—
Postal Services position themselves as necessary allies in Intl. trade at the 24th Universal Postal Congress tomorrow. More than 2,200 postal sector stakeholders will participate.

International 7/21/08—
Within a three-year period, Nigeria has received $1.2 million from the Universal Postal Union, as grant to improve their Postal Services™.

International 7/18/08—
TNT and trade unions ABVAKABO FNV, BVPP, CNV Publieke Zaak and VPP have signed the new collective labor agreement for TNT. The agreement will expire April 1, 2009.

International 7/17/08—
New image for Indian Post: It has partnered with Ogilvy and Mather (O&M) to help design a new logo and new uniforms to keep up with its new image.

International 7/16/08—
Spending on direct mail fell by 9% in 2007, according to “The Top 100 Direct Mail Spenders Report,” published by Marketing Direct today.

International 7/15/08—
TNT has dismissed speculation that FedEx Corp could buy out Dutch-owned TNT. The buy-out could increase FedEx's European parcel-delivery sales by as much as 144%.

International 7/14/08—
India Post's tariff is 70% cheaper for domestic destinations and 30% cheaper for international destinations. They are the only country that have not increased their tariffs to match the increased full costs.

International 7/11/08—
Hongkong Post launches new "iMailR service." The July 14 launch will facilitate customs pre-declaration, while providing customers with a fast, reliable and simplified way to make bulk postings.

International 7/10/08—
DHL launches EasyShip^®, a convenient, downloadable installation, that permits customers to access shipping functions to U.S. and international destinations via an easy-to-use PC-based application.

International 7/9/08—
Swiss Post has acquired Global Business Services Plus, which specializes in digital document management and has offices in France, Germany and Slovakia.

International 7/8/08—
TNT starts the only scheduled road services between China and Southeast Asia. Asia Road is up to 30% cheaper than air and three times faster than sea Intra-Asia road services.

International 7/3/08—
ICT and logistics experts are in Cairo, Rome to plan and develop new services, starting with the development of Egypt’s national postal system.

International 7/2/08—
Deutsche Post overturns decision by the European Union that it used state aid to cover losses on its parcel delivery service. Deutsche Post is expected to see the return of 1 billion Euros, plus interest.

International 7/1/08—
New Zealand Post has formed Express Couriers Australia Pty Limited (ECA), a 50:50 joint venture with Deutsche Post World Net (DPWN), for the ownership and operation of express courier businesses in Australia.

International 6/30/08—
DHL and Abu Dhabi Customs jointly launch a new customs clearing service called the "Gold Card" Program. Customers can now receive customs clearance confirmation within a few hours instead of a day.

International 6/27/08—
In response to rising cost pressures, Canada Post is proposing an amendment to the Letter Mail Regulations to establish the rates of postage for domestic Lettermail for the next three years.

International 6/26/08—
TNT Post has eased the pressure on the funding shortfall faced by the Mailing Preference Service (MPS) by agreeing to support the organization which funds the scheme.

International 6/25/08—
FedEx celebrates its domestic service one-year anniversary in China, where it now offers an earlier next-morning delivery to nine major cities in the country.

International 6/24/08—
Attention New Zealanders! Starting July 1, high volume mailers need to include correct postcodes on their mail to ensure timely delivery and maximize their discounts.

International 6/23/08—
New Post Office^® trial of ATMs offers convenient, commission-free euros and dollars at selected branches. Customers will insert their debit cards and select one euros or US dollars.

International 6/20/08—
Royal Mail and British Forces Post Office (BFPO) have released statistics showing the volume of mail sent to Afghanistan has nearly doubled over the past 12 months.

International 6/19/08—
Post Danmark signs new, two-year agreement with SAS Air Mail on international mail transportation. Their integrated partnership focuses on constant quality improvements for export mail.

International 6/18/08—
Every Post Office^™ in India will be inter-connected within a year's time. Money deposits or withdrawals will be accessible from any Post Office in the country at that time.

International 6/17/08—
A conference on European postal market reform headed: "The EU Internal Market for Postal Services – creating it together" begins on June 24th in Brussels. It marks the final phase of postal reform in the European Union.

International 6/16/08—
The postal communication of Armenia will open an affiliated company called “Haypost International” for international postal operations. It will be set up in the Netherlands.

International 6/13/08—
Vietnam’s postal sector may see tough times ahead, as the Government considers cutting loss compensations in the sector to heal the ailing industry by 2013.

International 6/12/08—
Dutch minister sees no post liberalization until fair competition in Germany, UK. The minister will update parliament on the situation by October 1.

International 6/11/08—
Deutsche Post World Net and Deutsche Post Selekt Mail Nederland C.V. have filed a joint complaint with the European Commission to protest the renewed delay of the opening of the mail market in the Netherlands.

International 6/10/08—
The Greek postal operator Hellenic Post (ELTA) is to be sold. The Greek government is trying to get a grip on public debt by selling off ELTA through shares or privatization.

International 6/9/08—
Deutsche Post is ready to sell Postbank and is expected to begin a formal sales process within days. The move will herald a summer of deal-making in Germany's banking sector.

International 6/6/08—
There’s nothing like trying to buy up the entire language if it gives you a competitive edge. Deutsche Post has absurdly been seeking to stop competitors from using the word 'Post' in their business names.

International 6/5/08—
Poczta Polska, the Polish Postal Service™, has ground to a standstill after postal workers began strike action on Tuesday. 20,000 distribution workers are thought to be involved in the strike.

International 6/4/08—
The IPC launches an environmental measurement and monitoring system, providing a common carbon measurement and reporting framework for the global postal industry.

International 6/3/08—
Belgium is considering its postal service becoming part of the new joint Danish-Swedish mail group. Sweden and Denmark agreed in April to merge the two countries' post offices.

International 6/2/08—
India Post plans to induct four freighter aircrafts by year-end to compete with private courier services.

International 5/30/08—
The Department of Post (DoP) is in talks with Deutsche Postbank to enter into the housing loan business. It would initially be available through selected post offices.

International 5/29/08—
International decision-makers will participate in a high-level debate on July 25, 2008 focusing on the theme “The postal sector, an essential component of the global economy.”

International 5/28/08—
DHL has signed a major ground and air freight agreement with the U. S. Postal Service^® and its principal air express operator, FedEx.

International 5/27/08—
The Australia Post expects to raise about $155 million a year from increased postal charges, in what the Opposition claims is a tax grab.

International 5/23/08—
82.7 percent of ver.di members at Deutsche Post voted in favor of accepting the settlement negotiated on April 30. The contractually agreed provisions can now go into effect.

International 5/22/08—
UPS is moving its intra-Asia air hub from the Philippines to Shenzhen. The move is intended to improve customer service, by reducing transit times across Asia.

International 5/20/08—
Japan Post Bank, the country's largest bank, plans to invest at least 1.0 trillion yen in overseas assets in the financial year to next March.

International 5/19/08—
Royal Mail partners with dialogue marketing specialists Vialuna, to launch “Dialogue Mail” to help businesses develop deeper customer relationships.

International 5/16/08—
DHL Express UAE assists African children in need through the shipping of essential supplies, donated by UAE residents, to help the impoverished children of Sierra Leone, Africa.

International 5/15/08—
Royal Mail says funding from a private sector will help deliver a universal service to customers. They claim their current business model is unsustainable and set for further decline without radical changes.

International 5/14/08—
Itella Corporation is granted exclusive rights to use IVANAhelsinki designs in selected Post products and services, such as postcards, packaging materials, and supplies.

International 5/13/08—
Canada Post issued its first annual Corporate Social Responsibility Report (CSR) today. The Report reflects the corporation's economic, social and environmental objectives, strategies, and performance.

International 5/12/08—
Business customers are deserting Royal Mail, after a British study finds most firms find the postal group an inefficient organization to work with.

International 5/9/08—
Royal Mail launches an internet based “Delivery Promise Tool,” to help online retailers offer consumers the best possible experience and reduce shopping basket abandonment.

International 5/8/08—
Swiss Post wants entrepreneurial freedom to determine for itself which markets it will operate. It wants to develop and thus prove itself capable of providing an efficient basic service in an open market.

International 5/7/08—
The Dutch government plans to brief Parliament on the possibility of opening up the domestic postal market to full competition on July 1, as previously envisioned.

International 5/6/08—
The UNEP and the UPU vow make the postal sector more environmentally sound. The initiative is part of the United Nations’ commitment to make climate change one of its top priorities.

International 5/5/08—
Concerns arise over the security of Britain’s mail, after statistics released under the Freedom of Information act report that 1,321 Royal Mail employees have been caught stealing mail since 2004.

International 5/2/08—
Swiss Post International, one of the fastest postal organizations in Europe, has grouped with Mail Order Solution to enter the Indian market.

International 5/1/08—
After months of contract negotiations and a threatened strike, Deutsche Post and Ver.di trade union have reached an agreement on job security, pay raise, and additional working time.

International 4/30/08—
Israel Post CEO warns of company collapse if the competitive structure of the postal market doesn’t change. The company's operating license also needs to be amended.

International 4/29/08—
On April 1, the majority shareholders in Posten and Post Danmark signed a historical letter of intent to merge. The merger will create a more competitive group in the Nordic market.

International 4/28/08—
UN Secretary-General pays tribute to the economic value of postal services, as the UPU marks its 60th anniversary as a specialized agency in the United Nations.

International 4/25/08—
Ver.di rejects Deutsche Post’s offer of 39 months of dismissals protection and a reasonable salary increase. Deutsche Post says it’s now up to Ver.di to find an amicable solution to the wage conflict.

International 4/24/08—
Canada Post issues 3.5 million copies of its first ever Braille stamp. The stamp features guide dogs to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Canada's oldest association for the blind.

International 4/23/08—
Canada Post Corporation and FedEx Express Canada have combined forces to develop Priority™ Worldwide, a new international express service available in the fall of 2008.

International 4/22/08—
DHL launches international initiative "Discover Logistics" on the inaugural nationwide "Logistics Day." The initiative aims to inform young people of career prospects within the logistics industry.

International 4/21/08—
The Ver.di labor union will vote on open-ended strikes from April 25-29. The labor union turned down Deutsche Post’s wage increase and job security offer last week.

International 4/18/08—
China Post Logistics Co. Ltd. and Hongkong Post partner for logistics service provision in the Greater China Region. The center meets a growing market demand for cross border logistic services.

International 4/17/08—
CTT Correios de Portugal exceeds goals established with shareholder in management agreement. Quality of service also exceeded the objectives set by the regulator.

International 4/16/08—
TNT Post calls on trade unions to continue discussions today in Amsterdam. The trade unions are demanding a one-year collective labor agreement with a salary increase of 3.5 percent.

International 4/15/08—
New Zealand Post launches “Mail Hold,” a new online service for household customers who want their mail held while they’re away from home for an extended period.

International 4/14/08—
La Poste—France’s state-owned mail monopoly—has purchased BTB Mailflight, a Bedford-based distribution and mail fulfillment business.

International 4/11/08—
TNT Post offers a structural wage increase of 3 percent to trade unions, after a one year contract negotiation. The trade unions have nonetheless rejected the offer and have announced actions.

International 4/10/08—
The price of posting Standard First and Second Class letters in the UK has risen. Royal Mail says that stamped mail continues to run at a loss, despite the increases.

International 4/9/08—
German union Verdi expects Deutsche Post to make a negotiable offer today on conditions for workers or threatens unlimited strikes. The warning strikes are over working conditions and job guarantees.

International 4/8/08—
Deutsche Post World Net, the No.1 global logistics company, is the first major company in its industry to set a quantifiable climate protection target.

International 4/7/08—
Swiss Post Subsidiary MailSource UK Ltd acquires UK-based Graphic Data Ltd. The acquisition allows MailSource UK to expand the physical part of its document flows with digital processes.

International 4/4/08—
Postal Corporation of Kenya has signed an agreement to sell airtime for leading mobile service provider, Safaricom. The agreement is critical for the survival of Postal Corporation.

International 4/3/08—
European marketers who consistently ignore the wishes of consumers who do not wish to be contacted for marketing purposes will face prison time. The DMA fully supports the new legislation.

International 4/2/08—
The Israel Postal Company has reported net profits for 2007 of NIS 40 million. Previously, as a state authority, it lost hundreds of million of shekels annually, forcing the government to make up the difference.

International 4/1/08—
Sweden Post and Denmark Post merge into the Swedish-Danish postal group to obtain greater competition and consolidation in the Nordic postal and logistics sector.

International 3/31/08—
German postal workers will strike tomorrow, April 1, following a breakdown in talks with Deutsche Post. The strike is the result of a pay dispute and rejection for extended working hours.

International 3/28/08—
Significant growth in parcels, due to online trading, has sparked new parcel services for the New Zealand Post. The new Parcel Post^® range requirements are effective today.

International 3/27/08—
Postcomm submits claim to Review Panel that fundamental reforms are essential if Royal Mail is to have a long-term sustainable future.

International 3/26/08—
DHL has entered into a strategic partnership with Dubai Industrial City. A new transPARK model will provide access to a full range of end-to-end logistic services to the companies at Dubai Industrial City.

International 3/25/08—
TNT Express division introduces a new packaging line. Customers can now choose larger, easier-to-handle, damage resistant, and earth-friendly packaging items.

International 3/24/08—
Royal Mail is selling off post office premises worth $20 million, as part of its closure program. A total of 40 post offices are up for sale.

International 3/21/08—
State-run postal service ‘Pakistan Post’ has increased their rates to meet expenses, after a hike in oil and power tariff. The new rates affect 20 million customers.

International 3/20/08—
With Group profit of 909 million Swiss francs, Swiss Post exceeds their previous year’s profit by 72 million francs. This makes them eligible to make a first-time dividend payment to the Confederation.

International 3/18/08—
French postal service La Poste is considering a takeover of German postal firm PIN Group. La Poste will make a decision by the end of March.

International 3/17/08—
An agreement promising foreign exchange services to the public was signed today in India, between the Department of Posts and Centurion Bank of Punjab.

International 3/14/08—
Itella Logistics becomes the first in Estonia to test an automated parcel terminal, which offers a new way for consumers to pick up their parcels. Itella operates in eight countries.

International 3/13/08—
German postal workers are prepared to go on strike April 1, if Deutsche Post does not grant concessions over working hours and give more protection over dismissals.

International 3/12/08—
TNT Post—the leading competitor of Royal Mail—has found that competition in the postal industry has created 3,300 new jobs in the past four years, raising the UK economy.

International 3/11/08—
The 24th Universal Postal Congress will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, July 23-August 12, 2008. More than 1,500 delegates from the UPU’s 191 member countries will attend.

International 3/10/08—
The Berlin Administrative Court has ruled that TNT Post is not obligated to pay the postal minimum wage because it violates the German constitution. The German State has filed an appeal.

International 3/4/08—
Korea Post beats private logistics companies by large margins to be named as the best package delivery service in Korea for the fourth consecutive year.

International 3/3/08—
Itella becomes the first in Finland to test a three month automated parcel terminal, which increases the number of ways consumers can receive their parcels.

International 2/29/08—
CTT Correios de Portugal achieved a global performance in 2007 that exceeded all quality targets defined by the Portuguese regulator, Anacom.

International 2/27/08—
Canada Post has launched Customized Postal Indicia, in response to consumer demand. The service allows businesses to design a stamp-like postage indicia and an image of their choice printed onto envelopes.

International 2/26/08—
The UK’s Post Office^® has further reduced their three-year fixed mortgage rate, taking it to 5.34 percent. The new rate cut is the best deal of its kind on the high street.

International 2/22/08—
China’s postal services, including package delivery and Express Mail^® service is back to normal nationwide, after a snow disaster hit last month.

International 2/21/08—
The Vietnam Post Corporation and the La Poste Group of France will jointly launch a cost-effective Direct Mail service in Vietnam in April.

International 2/20/08—
New Zealand Post will begin pricing domestic letters and parcels in direct proportion to its size and weight. The change will go into effect on March 28, 2008.

International 2/19/08—
169 Post Office™ branches will close in the London area this week. More than seven million residents will see either no change or will remain within one mile of an alternative branch.

International 2/15/08—
FedEx announces its partnership with French postal service firm La Poste, to cut parcel delivery time across Europe. The partnership will also connect Paris with other European locations.

International 2/14/08—
Postcomm rejects Royal Mail’s application to charge large mailers different prices depending on where in the UK their mail is delivered. Discrimination is listed as one of the key reasons for the rejection.

International 2/12/08-
The UPU has moved its four-yearly Congress gathering from to Geneva to Kenya, due to violence in the country. The three-week long gathering, will take place from mid-July to early August.

International 2/11/08-
DHL and ICA come to an agreement allowing individual retailers to offer their customers the facility to post and collect DHL parcels. DHL expects to have 1,500 outlets of their SERVICEPOINTS facilities by the end of the year.

International 2/11/08-
French postal giant La Poste faced opposition from the postal department, as they tried to tap the Indian market through a joint venture with Continental Air Express.

International 2/6/08-
Royal Mail loses its appeal against the £9.62 million financial penalty imposed by Postcomm. The Court of Appeal upheld the August 24, 2006 ruling on Royal Mail for failing to adequately protect the mail in its care.

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