Customer Support Ruling

Agents for Foreign Periodicals Publications
December 2004

PS-316 (707.6.5)

This Customer Support Ruling discusses the “agents” who perform services on behalf of foreign publishers seeking Periodicals privileges for the purpose of mailing copies of foreign publications.

The Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) 707.6.5.1 authorizes foreign newspapers and other periodicals to be granted Periodicals mailing privileges.

DMM 707.6.5.2 states that the known office of publication for a Periodicals publication authorized in the foreign category may be the office of the publisher’s agent.  An agent for foreign Periodicals publications performs functions domestically on behalf of a publisher of a foreign published publication much like a U. S. publisher of a Periodicals publication authorized in the general or requester category.

Such agents would normally perform duties on behalf of a foreign publisher that include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The main activity of the agent is to assist the foreign publisher obtain Periodicals privileges for a foreign published publication and distribute domestic addressed subscriber copies at Periodicals.  This includes receipt of imported copies of a publication; proper preparation of copies for mailing according to DMM standards, and the distribution of those copies.

• The agent must maintain a domestic office meeting the requirements of a known office of publication for doing business with the USPS.

• Maintains records for domestic distribution for foreign publications authorized Periodicals privileges.

• Performs such duties as timely submission of the annual Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation to the USPS; assists the publisher in meeting identification statement requirements; and cooperates with USPS in such matters as answering inquiries concerning the publication, demonstrating compliance with circulation requirements, and ensuring compliance with all other Periodicals standards such as enclosure and supplement rules.

Publications of foreign publishers that do not meet such requirements may not be authorized periodicals privileges, but are eligible to be mailed in the U. S. at the First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, or Package Services rates, as applicable.

(Signed)
Sherry Suggs
Manager
Mailing Standards
United States Postal Service
Washington DC 20260-3436