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Pricing & Classification DMM Advisory

Message board to keep postal customers informed of changes to mailing standards, services, and prices.
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April 2, 2020

UPDATE 14: International Mail Service Disruptions Due to COVID-19

On April 2, 2020, the Postal Service received notifications from various postal operators regarding changes in international mail services due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The following countries have announced service disruptions:

Estonia UPDATE: Estonian Post has advised that the Government of Estonia declared a state of emergency due to last until May 1, 2020. Estonian Post therefore wishes to inform its partners of some temporary changes to the services provided. Estonian Post can no longer guarantee the service delivery standards and is declaring a situation of force majeure.

Iceland UPDATE: Iceland Post has advised that it has suspended signature on delivery for inbound items as of March 19, 2020. Delivery will be conducted via methods that limit direct contact.

Slovakia UPDATE: Slovenska Pošta has advised that special processes have been put in place for postal items subject to delivery, specifically as follows:

• Slovenská pošta has suspended the collection of a signature on delivery for inbound registered letter-post items. These are now placed in the addressee’s mailbox with no personal contact with the addressee, and the details are recorded in delivery books.

• Items that do not fit in the mailbox, or those with an unsuccessful delivery attempt, will be stored at the delivery post office for an extended period (32 days in total). A notification, including instructions, will be placed in the mailbox. The same applies to ordinary mail, including small packages;

• Inbound registered letter-post items with value-added services, such as delivery in person, written proof of delivery, the cash-on-delivery service or other additional payments etc. In such cases, deliveries have been suspended, and only a notification that the item is available at the post office will be provided (physical notification in the mailbox, or electronic notification by e-mail or SMS).

• Where a customer is in compulsory quarantine or has been diagnosed with COVID-19, their items will be deposited at the delivery post office for the extended storage period, and customers in quarantine will be able to wait until the quarantine is lifted.

• Parcels that would ordinarily require the addressee’s signature are still delivered to the door, but extra steps are taken to minimize interaction.

• Furthermore, as of April 1, 2020, Slovenská pošta is able to send mail (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items) only to countries within the European Union (with the exception of Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Malta and Spain), and to Belarus, Canada, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Slovenská pošta will continue to accept letter-post and parcel-post items sent to destinations for which transport capacity is available.

These service disruptions affect Priority Mail Express International® (PMEI), Priority Mail International® (PMI), First-Class Mail International® (FCMI), First-Class Package International Service® (FCPIS®), International Priority Airmail® (IPA®), International Surface Air Lift® (ISAL®), and M-Bag® items.

The DMM Advisory will continue to update mailers regarding new service disruptions as they are received. For a full list of international service disruptions, please visit https://about.usps.com/newsroom/service-alerts/international/welcome.htm