From: UPU.EmIS                                                     
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2019 8:55 AM
Subject: Switzerland – Partial disruption of postal services
Importance: High

The designated operator of Switzerland, Swiss Post, asks us to inform other Union member countries and their designated operators that heavy snowfall is affecting delivery in the Alpine region of the Canton of Graubünden, in the eastern part of Switzerland. Closed roads and strong avalanche warnings are making it difficult or even impossible to deliver postal items in postcode areas 72xx, 73xx, 75xx, 76xx and 77xx. It is currently not possible to predict when normal postal operations will resume as the snowfall is expected to continue over the next few days.

Swiss Post thanks all Union member countries and their designated operators for their understanding. It will inform them via EmIS once the situation has returned to normal.

Since 7th January 2019 heavy snowfall is impacting the operational processes in Austria. The snowfall has resulted in closed roads and has cut off many villages across the Alps.

Avalanche warnings prohibit collection and delivery of letter mail and parcels in the zip code areas mentioned below.

Currently it is not predictable when normal postal operation will resume as the snowfall is still going on.

Affected areas include:

Lower Austria: 3100-3399, 3800-3999

Upper Austria: 4400-4599, 4800-4899

Salzburg: 5000- 5799

Tyrol+Vorarlberg: 6000 – 6999, 9900-9999

Styria: 8600-8999

As most already know, the USPS traditionally increases postage rates in January and this year is no different.  These rates will go into effect on January 27, 2019.  All of the domestic and international rates can be found here.

Note: Rates for most IMS services will change on January 21, 2019.  Our Negotiated Service Agreements (NSA's) do not run concurrent with USPS Retail rate changes.  A summary of the changes to IMS services as follows:

• Commercial ePacket (CeP):  NO CHANGES AT THIS TIME
• International Priority Airmail (IPA):  Rates will increase an average of 2-4% (depending on class)
• International Surface Air Lift (ISAL):  Rates will increase an average of 3-5% (depending on class)   
• Priority Mail Express International (PMEI) Drop Ship:  Rates will increase an average of 2.6%
• Priority Mail International (PMI) Drop Ship:  Rates actually will decrease an average of 1%
• Priority Mail Express International (PMEI) Standard:  Rates will increase an average of 5.8%
• Priority Mail International (PMI) Standard:  Rates will increase an average of 1%
• IBRS Canada Small Package Return:  NO CHANGES AT THIS TIME

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you'd like quotes updated or if any questions.

The Switzerland Federal Taxation Administration earlier this year announced Value Added Tax (VAT) changes which will impact companies shipping goods to Switzerland.  Effective January 1, 2019, any mail order company which generates at least 100,000 Swiss Francs in turnover per year from small consignments which it transports or dispatches to Switzerland from abroad must be entered in the Switzerland VAT Register.  VAT will be assessed on such consignments.  Following is a link to the Switzerland Federal Taxation Administration website with details:  https://www.estv.admin.ch/estv/en/home/mehrwertsteuer/fachinformationen/regelung-fuer-den-versandhandel.html

If you have specific questions concerning the Switzerland VAT, please contact the Switzerland Federal Tax Administration directly:

Online form:

Click here for questions about the Value Added Tax.

Phone:  41 58 462 21 11

Postal Address:

Federal Tax Administration FTA
Main Division Value Added Tax
Schwarztorstrasse 50
3003 Berne

A severe weather event, with rain and floods, in Sydney and neighbouring parts of New South Wales, Australia, is impacting the collection and delivery of all mail products for the state (postcodes 2xxxx).

There will also be impacts on mail flows in and out of Australia due to large delays at Sydney airport and issue transporting the mail to/from the airport.

For more info please got to:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-28/sydney-weather-live-coveraqe-of-floods-and-rani /10459224

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/hea vv-rain-and-storms-hit-s ydney-causinq-commuter-chaos-20181127- p50irv.html

Senators in Canada passed back-to-work legislation Monday evening forcing an end to the rotating strikes which have been ongoing since October 22.  The order takes effect at 12:00 noon on Tuesday 11/27/18.

Here are a couple of articles detailing the process:
https://globalnews.ca/news/4701352/canada-post-back-to-work-legislation-passed-senate/
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/senate-passes-legislation-to-end-canada-post-strike-1.4192219 

There will remain a significant backlog and it will take time to return services to normal, especially with the busy holiday season upon us.  We'll continue to monitor the situation and update customers as any new information becomes available.

Senators in Canada adjourned for the weekend after 8 hours of proceedings on Saturday.  They will make a final decision today (Monday) to force the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) back to work as early as noon on Tuesday.  The full article from CBC News can be viewed here.

We'll continue to monitor the situation but invite you to sign up for email updates from Canada Post here.  IMS and Canada Post will continue to collect, process, and deliver your mail and parcels.  Updates will also be posted in our blog (link below).

The designated operator of Israel, Israel Postal Company, asks us to inform the designated operators of other Union member countries that a general strike, affecting postal services, flights, transportation, government services, etc., has been called for Wednesday, 7 November 2018.

This will result in delays in postal services in general, and EMS in particular.

Israel Postal Company thanks designated operators for their understanding.

Issue details:

Poste Italiane (IT) wishes to share the following information:

Due to the severe weather conditions that since October 29th till November 2nd affected several parts of Italy, considerable problems occurred in local road flows causing also the impossibility to reach whole parts of the national territory. This situation had a serious impact on the delivery service, with a general slowdown in the areas concerned, as well as the suspension of the delivery activity where the staff safety was compromised. Currently, we are working to recover the situation and restore the normal operativity.

An update will follow, as  soon as more information is available.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) began strike action in Montréal at 10:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 29. Rotating strikes continue in B.C. in Prince George and several locations of the Lower Mainland (Maple Ridge, Surrey, Chilliwack, Squamish, Langley, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, Abbotsford, New Westminster, Mission and Hope and Aldergrove), as well as in Lloydminster, Sask., and Peterborough, Ont.

Employees in Winnipeg and Brandon, Man., Thunder Bay, Oshawa and Pickering, Ont., and ÎIes-de-la-Madeleine, Que., returned to work following CUPW’s strike activity in those locations.

Mail and parcels will not be delivered or picked up in the impacted areas while the union continues their strike activity. Canada Post continues to operate across the rest of Canada.