10 reasons why the world needs the UPU 10 reasons why the world needs the UPU

10
and use new products and services to meet customers’
requirements around the world. Through its Telematics Sharing knowledge Defender of the universal postal service, protecter of the single postal territory, arbitrator,
coordinator, developer, facilitator, promoter and organizer – this is what makes the Universal
Cooperative and Postal Technology Centre, the UPU and information Postal Union continue to be a necessary and valued organization after 130 years!
develops systems to assist Posts in implementing new
technologies to better manage their mail operations, The UPU monitors developments in the postal sector,

expedite mail transfers and improve security. Mindful
of the technological and financial constraints faced
by many of its member countries, the UPU is quick to
develop or adapt software applications to meet the
specific needs of Posts. This has made it possible for
developing countries to acquire systems for tracking
mail and transferring funds (International Postal System
and International Financial System). The electronic post-
mark, developed by a handful of industrialized Posts,
has also found a home in the UPU, which is trying to
extend its use to developing Posts that would otherwise
not have the means to adopt it. The UPU has also cre-
ated products such as the POST*Code postal address-
ing system and the Universal List of Localities to ensure
better mail targeting by Posts and customers.
analyzes market trends and studies market condi-
tions, recommends guidelines to be followed and
facilitates the exchange of intellectual and statistical
data, enabling Posts throughout the world to adapt to
imminent changes. With the creation of the Direct Mail
Advisory Board, many countries are now making use
of the resources, seminars and workshops available to
develop this sector and generate additional revenue.
In cooperation with the World Association for the
Development of Philately, the UPU has highlighted the
problem of illegal postage stamps in an effort to find
a solution to a situation that seriously harms the Post‘s
image and results in the significant loss of revenue. The
UPU also produces entire series of publications on mail
guidelines and postal statistics.
1
Maintaining
a single postal territory
The 1874 Treaty of Berne that gave birth to the UPU
succeeded in unifying a conflicting international maze
of postal services and regulations into a single postal
territory for the reciprocal exchange of letter-post
items, reducing the number of rates for mail between
countries to a single rate for all. Within the single ter-
ritory, the principle of freedom of transit for mail items
is guaranteed by all parties. The membership of new
countries agreeing to comply with the Regulations
governing the exchange of international mail (let-
ters, parcels and other categories) has broadened the provides a forum where all those who have an interest
concept of the single postal territory. Today, the UPU’s in the postal service can come together to discuss and
190 member countries make up the largest physical find solutions to the major challenges facing the sector.
distribution network in the world. Under the terminal Questions dealt with by the UPU bodies and working
dues system set up and managed by the UPU, Posts groups include postal security, postal financial services,
are financially compensated for handling volumes technical cooperation, postal development, terminal
of international mail exchanged with other Posts. To dues, the universal postal service, technology and the
appreciate the scope of this system, just imagine how environment. Other UPU and industry groups such as
many bilateral and multilateral agreements there would the Direct Mail Advisory Board try to energize growth
be without it! sectors by following the latest developments and giv-
ing guidance through publications and workshops. The

2
An international forum
of cooperation
While globalization has brought countries closer
together, the forces of liberalization have also brought
new players into the postal arena. As a result, the UPU’s
stakeholders have become a large and diverse mixture
of interest groups. To accommodate them, the UPU
“Postal services are powerful vehicles of com-
munication, important agents of social cohesion,
and concrete contributors to economic and social
development. Since the creation of the UPU, a
single postal territory has linked the world in
webs of communication, commerce and trade.
In doing so, the UPU has become one of our
most valuable, yet largely unheralded, forums of
international cooperation and exchange.”
UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
P.O. Box
3000 BERNE 15
SWITZERLAND
creation of a new UPU body in 2004 – the Consultative
Committee – formally incorporated stakeholders from
the private sector, enabling them to contribute in a con-
crete way to discussions on the Post‘s future.
3 A member
of the UN family
As a specialized agency of the United Nations since
1948, the UPU maintains close relations and actively
cooperates with other UN organizations such as the
United Nations Development Programme in the field of
postal development, the United Nations Office for Drugs
and Crime on combating criminal activities through the
use of the mail network and the United Nations Envi-
ronment Programme in promoting a “green image“ of
the Post, to name but a few. In order to facilitate the
flow of international mail, the UPU also works closely
with international organizations such as the Interna-
tional Air Transport Association (IATA), the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the World
Customs Organization (WCO). As a member of the
UN family, the UPU promotes the general aims of the

www.upu.int
10 reasons why the world needs the UPU
United Nations, particularly its Millennium Develop-
ment Goals, while representing the interests of Posts
within the various UN programmes and at UN events
such as the World Summit on the Information Society.
4
Promoting
universal postal service
As the first objective of the World Postal Strategy, the
provision of universal postal service forms the bedrock
of the UPU’s mission. It supports the idea that “all postal
users enjoy the right to a universal postal service involv-
ing the permanent provision of quality basic postal ser-
vices at all points in their territory, at affordable prices.
Although universal service is contained in the UPU
Acts, the UPU cannot prescribe to member countries
and therefore seeks to ensure that they understand
what is at stake and offer a service appropriate to
their own local realities. Despite the fact that universal
postal service has been defined in 67% of UPU member
countries, there still exist disparities between countries
and regions when it comes to postal service coverage.
In developing countries, between 14 and 25% of the
population is still without access to postal services. This
contrasts sharply with the high level of universal postal
service provision in industrialized countries. The UPU
continues to make governments, particularly those in
developing countries, more aware of their role in ensur-
ing the provision of an extensive, good quality, afford-
able universal service.
5 Promoting postal
development
and technical cooperation
In keeping with the spirit of the United Nations, the
UPU and its members promote cooperation so that
Posts may benefit from the know-how and expertise
of others. Multi-year integrated projects enable devel-
oping countries, particularly those least developed,
to acquire much needed operational equipment and
training to improve postal operations, which can have
an impact on quality of service worldwide. These pro-
jects also provide assistance in the event of disaster or
calamity and involve efforts to reduce the digital divide
between industrialized and developing countries.
6
Improving
quality of service
Increased competition and higher customer expecta-
tions continue to place pressure on Posts to make
improvements to the quality of their services. The
UPU undertakes worldwide quality tests, monitoring
hundreds of international links through the use of test
letters and parcels. It also publishes end-to-end deliv-
ery standards against which Posts can measure their
progress and sends consultants to countries to ensure
that internationally accepted procedures are followed.
Recent tests showed that, during the first semester of
2005, 60% of the 96,400 test letters posted in more
10 reasons why the world needs the UPU
than 95 countries were delivered within five working
days (J+5 standard adopted at the 2004 Bucharest
Congress). Improvements are recorded continuously
and the UPU hopes to achieve a world standard of 65%
by 2008. The UPU’s EMS Cooperative has managed to
improve the quality of the EMS service considerably
through a rigorous evaluation programme, with 85%
of EMS items delivered on time during the second quar-
ter of 2005. This compares to 52% at the beginning of
2000. Since the Quality of Service Fund (QSF) was cre-
ated in 2001, 30 of the 72 million USD collected have
financed 250 projects in developing countries.
7
Supporting
postal reform
Postal reform is a strategy to convert Posts from pro-
8
tected government organizations into competitive,
customer-oriented businesses. With the advent of Setting
technology, globalization, the liberalization of markets
and increased competition, postal operators have had
to adapt to a new business environment and higher
customer expectations. While many Posts have under-
technical standards
Standards are important prerequisites for effective
postal operations and for interconnecting the global
gone profound changes in the last 20 years, many still postal network. The primary aim of UPU technical stan-
dards is to define a uniform mode of communication
lack the structural and commercial flexibility to become
between the different mail processing and tracking sys-
more competitive. Since its creation, the UPU Postal
tems in order to ensure efficiency and quality of service.
Development Action Group has made headway, clear-
To date, more than a hundred standards have been cre-
ing the way for constructive dialogue with the World
ated and the UPU is working closely with bodies such
Bank and other regional development banks on the
financing of postal reform in developing countries. The as the European Committee for Standardization, the
International Organization for Standardization, and the
UPU also publishes guides that present the challenges
of postal reform and proposes several approaches. International Post Corporation. Nearly 25 million bags
and trays are tracked annually on the basis of messages
and UPU standard codes while Posts track an estimated
40 million postal items in all categories. As postal sec-
tor liberalization continues, rigorous technical stan-
dards become increasingly important. The more postal
operators there are, the more essential it becomes to
standardize mail processing, tracking and transmission.
It is therefore important that standards are applied
worldwide by all postal sector stakeholders; otherwise
there would be chaos in delivering even a simple letter
or parcel from one country to another!
9
Promoting and developing
new products and services
Small packets, international reply coupons, EMS and
money orders are some of the products and services
that have been promoted by the UPU. The organiza-
tion continuously encourages its members to develop
10 reasons why the world needs the UPU
United Nations, particularly its Millennium Develop-
ment Goals, while representing the interests of Posts
within the various UN programmes and at UN events
such as the World Summit on the Information Society.
4
Promoting
universal postal service
As the first objective of the World Postal Strategy, the
provision of universal postal service forms the bedrock
of the UPU’s mission. It supports the idea that “all postal
users enjoy the right to a universal postal service involv-
ing the permanent provision of quality basic postal ser-
vices at all points in their territory, at affordable prices.
Although universal service is contained in the UPU
Acts, the UPU cannot prescribe to member countries
and therefore seeks to ensure that they understand
what is at stake and offer a service appropriate to
their own local realities. Despite the fact that universal
postal service has been defined in 67% of UPU member
countries, there still exist disparities between countries
and regions when it comes to postal service coverage.
In developing countries, between 14 and 25% of the
population is still without access to postal services. This
contrasts sharply with the high level of universal postal
service provision in industrialized countries. The UPU
continues to make governments, particularly those in
developing countries, more aware of their role in ensur-
ing the provision of an extensive, good quality, afford-
able universal service.
5 Promoting postal
development
and technical cooperation
In keeping with the spirit of the United Nations, the
UPU and its members promote cooperation so that
Posts may benefit from the know-how and expertise
of others. Multi-year integrated projects enable devel-
oping countries, particularly those least developed,
to acquire much needed operational equipment and
training to improve postal operations, which can have
an impact on quality of service worldwide. These pro-
jects also provide assistance in the event of disaster or
calamity and involve efforts to reduce the digital divide
between industrialized and developing countries.
6
Improving
quality of service
Increased competition and higher customer expecta-
tions continue to place pressure on Posts to make
improvements to the quality of their services. The
UPU undertakes worldwide quality tests, monitoring
hundreds of international links through the use of test
letters and parcels. It also publishes end-to-end deliv-
ery standards against which Posts can measure their
progress and sends consultants to countries to ensure
that internationally accepted procedures are followed.
Recent tests showed that, during the first semester of
2005, 60% of the 96,400 test letters posted in more
10 reasons why the world needs the UPU
than 95 countries were delivered within five working
days (J+5 standard adopted at the 2004 Bucharest
Congress). Improvements are recorded continuously
and the UPU hopes to achieve a world standard of 65%
by 2008. The UPU’s EMS Cooperative has managed to
improve the quality of the EMS service considerably
through a rigorous evaluation programme, with 85%
of EMS items delivered on time during the second quar-
ter of 2005. This compares to 52% at the beginning of
2000. Since the Quality of Service Fund (QSF) was cre-
ated in 2001, 30 of the 72 million USD collected have
financed 250 projects in developing countries.
7
Supporting
postal reform
Postal reform is a strategy to convert Posts from pro-
8
tected government organizations into competitive,
customer-oriented businesses. With the advent of Setting
technology, globalization, the liberalization of markets
and increased competition, postal operators have had
to adapt to a new business environment and higher
customer expectations. While many Posts have under-
technical standards
Standards are important prerequisites for effective
postal operations and for interconnecting the global
gone profound changes in the last 20 years, many still postal network. The primary aim of UPU technical stan-
dards is to define a uniform mode of communication
lack the structural and commercial flexibility to become
between the different mail processing and tracking sys-
more competitive. Since its creation, the UPU Postal
tems in order to ensure efficiency and quality of service.
Development Action Group has made headway, clear-
To date, more than a hundred standards have been cre-
ing the way for constructive dialogue with the World
ated and the UPU is working closely with bodies such
Bank and other regional development banks on the
financing of postal reform in developing countries. The as the European Committee for Standardization, the
International Organization for Standardization, and the
UPU also publishes guides that present the challenges
of postal reform and proposes several approaches. International Post Corporation. Nearly 25 million bags
and trays are tracked annually on the basis of messages
and UPU standard codes while Posts track an estimated
40 million postal items in all categories. As postal sec-
tor liberalization continues, rigorous technical stan-
dards become increasingly important. The more postal
operators there are, the more essential it becomes to
standardize mail processing, tracking and transmission.
It is therefore important that standards are applied
worldwide by all postal sector stakeholders; otherwise
there would be chaos in delivering even a simple letter
or parcel from one country to another!
9
Promoting and developing
new products and services
Small packets, international reply coupons, EMS and
money orders are some of the products and services
that have been promoted by the UPU. The organiza-
tion continuously encourages its members to develop
10 reasons why the world needs the UPU 10 reasons why the world needs the UPU

and use new products and services to meet customers’
requirements around the world. Through its Telematics
Cooperative and Postal Technology Centre, the UPU
develops systems to assist Posts in implementing new
technologies to better manage their mail operations,
10
Sharing knowledge Defender of the universal postal service, protecter of the single postal territory, arbitrator,
coordinator, developer, facilitator, promoter and organizer – this is what makes the Universal
and information Postal Union continue to be a necessary and valued organization after 130 years!
The UPU monitors developments in the postal sector,

expedite mail transfers and improve security. Mindful
of the technological and financial constraints faced
by many of its member countries, the UPU is quick to
develop or adapt software applications to meet the
specific needs of Posts. This has made it possible for
developing countries to acquire systems for tracking
mail and transferring funds (International Postal System
and International Financial System). The electronic post-
mark, developed by a handful of industrialized Posts,
has also found a home in the UPU, which is trying to
extend its use to developing Posts that would otherwise
not have the means to adopt it. The UPU has also cre-
ated products such as the POST*Code postal address-
ing system and the Universal List of Localities to ensure
better mail targeting by Posts and customers.
analyzes market trends and studies market condi-
tions, recommends guidelines to be followed and
facilitates the exchange of intellectual and statistical
data, enabling Posts throughout the world to adapt to
imminent changes. With the creation of the Direct Mail
Advisory Board, many countries are now making use
of the resources, seminars and workshops available to
develop this sector and generate additional revenue.
In cooperation with the World Association for the
Development of Philately, the UPU has highlighted the
problem of illegal postage stamps in an effort to find
a solution to a situation that seriously harms the Post‘s
image and results in the significant loss of revenue. The
UPU also produces entire series of publications on mail
guidelines and postal statistics.
1
Maintaining
a single postal territory
The 1874 Treaty of Berne that gave birth to the UPU
succeeded in unifying a conflicting international maze
of postal services and regulations into a single postal
territory for the reciprocal exchange of letter-post
items, reducing the number of rates for mail between
countries to a single rate for all. Within the single ter-
ritory, the principle of freedom of transit for mail items
is guaranteed by all parties. The membership of new
countries agreeing to comply with the Regulations
governing the exchange of international mail (let-
ters, parcels and other categories) has broadened the provides a forum where all those who have an interest
concept of the single postal territory. Today, the UPU’s in the postal service can come together to discuss and
190 member countries make up the largest physical find solutions to the major challenges facing the sector.
distribution network in the world. Under the terminal Questions dealt with by the UPU bodies and working
dues system set up and managed by the UPU, Posts groups include postal security, postal financial services,
are financially compensated for handling volumes technical cooperation, postal development, terminal
of international mail exchanged with other Posts. To dues, the universal postal service, technology and the
appreciate the scope of this system, just imagine how environment. Other UPU and industry groups such as
many bilateral and multilateral agreements there would the Direct Mail Advisory Board try to energize growth
be without it! sectors by following the latest developments and giv-
ing guidance through publications and workshops. The

2
An international forum
of cooperation
While globalization has brought countries closer
together, the forces of liberalization have also brought
new players into the postal arena. As a result, the UPU’s
stakeholders have become a large and diverse mixture
of interest groups. To accommodate them, the UPU
“Postal services are powerful vehicles of com-
munication, important agents of social cohesion,
and concrete contributors to economic and social
development. Since the creation of the UPU, a
single postal territory has linked the world in
webs of communication, commerce and trade.
In doing so, the UPU has become one of our
most valuable, yet largely unheralded, forums of
international cooperation and exchange.”
UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
P.O. Box
3000 BERNE 15
SWITZERLAND
creation of a new UPU body in 2004 – the Consultative
Committee – formally incorporated stakeholders from
the private sector, enabling them to contribute in a con-
crete way to discussions on the Post‘s future.
3 A member
of the UN family
As a specialized agency of the United Nations since
1948, the UPU maintains close relations and actively
cooperates with other UN organizations such as the
United Nations Development Programme in the field of
postal development, the United Nations Office for Drugs
and Crime on combating criminal activities through the
use of the mail network and the United Nations Envi-
ronment Programme in promoting a “green image“ of
the Post, to name but a few. In order to facilitate the
flow of international mail, the UPU also works closely
with international organizations such as the Interna-
tional Air Transport Association (IATA), the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the World
Customs Organization (WCO). As a member of the
UN family, the UPU promotes the general aims of the

www.upu.int