English pdf - UPU - Universal Postal Union

in briefPostal securityInter-committee work moves forwardNapolitano recently voiced support for UPU-led work (Photo: DHS)The new UPU inter-committee securitygroup (ICSG) says work is progressingwell in gathering data to createa new security model for the safetransportation of mail by air.The group, which recently metfor a second time at UPU headquartersin Berne, aims to harmonizeglobal postal security standards toensure that international mail canmove smoothly in a world where airsecurity is constantly heightened.Set up in April, the group gatherspostal representatives from all overthe world, as well as aviation, customs,standards, trade and securityorganizations, including the UnitedStates’ Transportation Security Agency(TSA).Chairman Ebbe Andersen fromPost Denmark says the group’s workplan is on schedule. “Our challengeis to better understand how internationalmail operations work in differentcountries,” said Andersen.“How is international mail inductedin the network? How is it transported?What security measures areapplied? We are looking for the gapsto find a common solution, as anynew security measures will have animpact on all postal operators.”The group will present a draftframework to the UPU Council ofAdministration and Postal OperationsCouncil before seeking formaladoption at the UPU Congress in2012.Once a model is developed, thegroup wants to test it through a pilotproject, Andersen explained. “A pilotwith the airlines will be key to see ifit works.”Harmonization criticalThe UPU believes a postal securitymodel dealing with the specificitiesof international mail sent on commercialand cargo airlines is needed.This would avoid security measuresbeing developed and imposed by individualcountries or administrations,which wreak havoc on internationalmail transportation.New security rules introducedlast year by the TSA led many Poststo stop or delay sending US-boundmail for several months. The UPUwants to avoid similar situations in future,knowing that other countriesand the European Union are workingon their own air transportation securitymeasures.State supportJanet Napolitano, head of the US Departmentof Homeland Security(DHS), praised the UPU’s efforts increating international standards insecurity. Speaking at a June meetingof the World Customs Organization(WCO), Napolitano recognized recentjoint efforts by the UPU, WCOand International Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO) to strengthen theglobal mail supply chain.“We should all support the workunderway within the UPU… to developa global standard for advancedata on mail shipments for securitypurposes, as well as standard processesfor handling and resolvinganomalies detected at internationaltransit hubs. The goal of these effortswill be to update the UPU Conventionand underlying Regulations, aneffort we all hope can be accomplishednext year,” Napolitano said.The DHS is working with theUPU’s ICSG. As well as UPU membercountries, members include theWCO, ICAO and the World Trade Organization.“This group has made impressiveprogress over the last several monthsin establishing emergency securitycontacts in all 191 UPU memberstates to respond to mail transitalarms. I encourage those countries...not yet participating to support thiseffort,” Napolitano said.She also emphasized the importanceof not impeding internationaltrade. “The global supply chain systemmust be able to continue to function,and quickly recover from majordisruptions, because the efficientfunctioning of the global logisticssystem is essential to the globaleconomy.” RL & FM4 · Union Postale 3/2011