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Likums Saeimā pieņemts 2014.gada 12.jūnijā.

Valsts prezidents

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Rīgā 2014.gada 27.jūnijā

General

Regulations of the Universal Postal Union

(Recast and adopted by the 2012

Doha Congress)

Table of contents

Chapter I

Organization, functions and operation of Congresses, the

Council of Administration, the Postal Operations Council and the

Consultative Committee

Section 1

Congress

Article

101 Organization and convening of Congresses and Extraordinary

Congresses

102 Right to vote at Congresses

103 Functions of Congress

104 Rules of Procedure of Congresses

105 Observers to the Union's bodies

Section 2

Council of Administration (CA)

106 Composition and functioning of the CA

107 Functions of the CA

108 Organization of CA sessions

109 Observers

110 Reimbursement of travel expenses

111 nformation on the activities of the CA

Section 3

Postal Operations Council (POC)

112 Composition and functioning of the POC

113 Functions of the POC

114 Organization of POC sessions

115 POC observers

116 Reimbursement of travel expenses

117 Information on the activities of the POC

Section 4

Consultative Committee (CC)

118 Aim of the CC

119 Composition of the CC

120 Membership of the CC

121 Functions of the CC

122 Organization of the CC

123 Representatives of the Consultative Committee at the

Council of Administration, the Postal Operations Council and

Congress

124 CC observers

125 Information on the activities of the CC

Chapter II

International Bureau

Section 1

Election and duties of the Director General and Deputy

Director General of the International Bureau

126 Election of the Director General and Deputy Director

General of the International Bureau

127 Duties of the Director General

128 Duties of the Deputy Director General

Section 2

Secretariat of the Union bodies and the Consultative

Committee

129 General remarks

130 Preparation and distribution of documents of the Union

bodies

131 List of member countries

132 Information. Opinions. Requests for explanation and

amendment of the Acts. Inquiries. Role in the settlement of

accounts

133 Technical cooperation

134 Forms supplied by the International Bureau

135 Acts of Restricted Unions and Special Agreements

136 Union periodical

137 Annual report on the work of the Union

Chapter III

Submission, consideration of proposals, notification of

decisions adopted and entry into force of the Regulations and

other decisions adopted

138 Procedure for submitting proposals to Congress

139 Procedure for submitting proposals amending the Convention

or the Agreements between Congresses

140 Consideration of proposals amending the Convention or the

Agreements between Congresses

141 Procedure for submitting proposals to the Postal

Operations Council concerning the preparation of new Regulations

in the light of decisions taken by Congress

142 Amendment of the Regulations by the Postal Operations

Council

143 Notification of decisions adopted between Congresses

144 Entry into force of the Regulations and of the other

decisions adopted between Congresses

Chapter IV

Finance

145 Fixing of the expenditure of the Union

146 Regulation of member countries' contributions

147 Shortfalls in financing

148 Supervision of book-keeping and accounting

149 Automatic sanctions

150 Contribution classes

151 Payment for supplies from the International Bureau

152 Organization of user-funded subsidiary bodies

Chapter V

Arbitration

153 Arbitration procedure

Chapter VI

Use of languages within the Union

154 Working languages of the International Bureau

155 Languages used for documentation, for debates and for

official correspondence

Chapter VII

Final provisions

156 Conditions for approval of proposals concerning the

General Regulations

157 Proposals concerning the Agreements with the United

Nations

158 Amendment, entry into force and duration of the General

Regulations

General

Regulations of the Universal Postal Union

(Recast and

adopted by the 2012 Doha Congress)

The undersigned plenipotentiaries of the Governments of member

countries of the Union, having regard to article 22.2 of the

Constitution of the Universal Postal Union, concluded at Vienna

on 10 July 1964, have, by common consent, and subject to article

25.4 of the Constitution, drawn up in these General Regulations

the following provisions securing the application of the

Constitution and the functioning of the Union.

Chapter I

Organization, functions and

operation of Congresses, the Council of Administration, the

Postal Operations Council and the Consultative Committee

Section 1

Congress

Article 101

Organization and convening of

Congresses and Extraordinary Congresses (Const. 14, 15)

1 The representatives of member countries shall meet in

Congress not later than four years after the end of the year

during which the preceding Congress took place.

2 Each member country shall arrange for its representation at

Congress by one or more plenipotentiaries furnished by their

Government with the necessary powers. It may, if need be, arrange

to be represented by the delegation of another member country.

Nevertheless it shall be understood that a delegation may

represent only one member country other than its own.

3 In principle, each Congress shall designate the country in

which the next Congress will be held. If that designation proves

inapplicable, the Council of Administration shall be authorized

to designate the country where Congress is to meet, after

consultation with the latter country.

4 After consultation with the International Bureau, the host

Government shall fix the definitive date and the precise locality

of Congress. In principle one year before that date, the host

Government shall send an invitation to the Government of each

member country of the Union. This invitation may be sent direct

or through the intermediary of another Government or through the

Director General of the International Bureau.

5 When a Congress has to be convened without a host

Government, the International Bureau, with the agreement of the

Council of Administration and after consultation with the

Government of the Swiss Confederation, shall take the necessary

steps to convene and organize the Congress in the country in

which the seat of the Union is situated. In this event, the

International Bureau shall perform the functions of the host

government.

6 The meeting place of an Extraordinary Congress shall be

fixed, after consultation with the International Bureau, by the

member countries which have initiated that Congress.

7 Paragraphs 2 to 5 and article 102 shall be applicable by

analogy to Extraordinary Congresses.

Article 102

Right to vote at Congress

1 Each member country shall be entitled to one vote, subject

to the sanctions provided for in article 149.

Article 103

Functions of Congress

1 On the basis of proposals by member countries, the Council

of Administration and the Postal Operations Council, Congress

shall:

1.1 determine the general principles for achieving the object

and purpose of the Union set out in the Preamble and article 1 of

the Constitution;

1.2 consider and adopt, where appropriate, proposals for

amendments to the Constitution, General Regulations, Convention

and Agreements submitted by member countries and the Councils, in

accordance with article 29 of the Constitution and article 138 of

the General Regulations;

1.3 set the date for the entry into force of the Acts;

1.4 adopt its Rules of Procedure and the amendments to those

Rules;

1.5 consider the comprehensive reports on the work of the

Council of Administration, the Postal Operations Council and the

Consultative Committee, covering the period from the previous

Congress, presented by these respective bodies in accordance with

articles 111, 117 and 125 of the General Regulations;

1.6 adopt the Union's strategy;

1.7 fix the maximum amount of the Union's expenditure, in

accordance with article 21 of the Constitution;

1.8 elect the member countries to sit on the Council of

Administration and the Postal Operations Council;

1.9 elect the Director General and Deputy Director

General;

1.10 set in a Congress resolution the ceiling of the costs to

be borne by the Union for the production of documents in Chinese,

German, Portuguese and Russian.

2 Congress, as the supreme body of the Union, shall deal with

such other questions concerning postal services.

Article 104

Rules of Procedure of Congresses

(Const. 14)

1 For the organization of its work and the conduct of its

debates, Congress shall apply its Rules of Procedure.

2 Each Congress may amend its Rules of Procedure under the

conditions laid down in those Rules of Procedure.

Article 105

Observers to the Union's

bodies

1 The following entities shall be invited to participate in

the plenary sessions and committee meetings of Congress, the

Council of Administration and the Postal Operations Council as

observers:

1.1 representatives of the United Nations;

1.2 Restricted Unions;

1.3 members of the Consultative Committee;

1.4 entities authorized to attend Union meetings as observers

by virtue of a resolution or decision of Congress.

2 The following entities, if duly designated by the Council of

Administration in accordance with article 107.1.12 shall be

invited to attend specific meetings of Congress as ad hoc

observers:

2.1 specialized agencies of the United Nations and other

intergovernmental organizations;

2.2 any international body, any association or enterprise, or

any qualified person.

3 In addition to the observers defined in paragraph 1 of this

article, the Council of Administration and the Postal Operations

Council may designate ad hoc observers to attend their meetings

in accordance with their Rules of Procedure, when this is in the

interests of the Union and its bodies.

Section 2

Council of Administration (CA)

Article 106

Composition and functioning of the

CA (Const. 17)

1 The Council of Administration shall consist of forty-one

members who shall exercise their functions during the period

between two successive Congresses.

2 The chairmanship shall devolve by right on the host member

country of Congress. If that member country waives this right, it

shall become a de jure member and, as a result, the geographical

group to which it belongs shall have at its disposal an

additional seat, to which the restrictive provisions of paragraph

3 shall not apply. In that case, the Council of Administration

shall elect to the chairmanship one of the members belonging to

the geographical group of the host member country.

3 The forty other members of the Council of Administration

shall be elected by Congress on the basis of an equitable

geographical distribution. At least a half of the membership is

renewed at each Congress; no member country may be chosen by

three successive Congresses.

4 Each member of the Council of Administration shall appoint

its representative, who shall be competent in postal matters. The

members of the Council of Administration shall take an active

part in its work.

5 The office of member of the Council of Administration shall

be unpaid. The operational expenses of this Council shall be

borne by the Union.

Article 107

Functions of the CA

1 The Council of Administration shall have the following

functions:

1.1 Supervises all the activities of the Union between

Congresses, ensuring compliance with the decisions of Congress,

studying questions with respect to governmental policies on

postal issues, and taking account of international regulatory

developments such as those relating to trade in services and to

competition.

1.2 Promotes, coordinates and supervises all forms of postal

technical assistance within the framework of international

technical cooperation.

1.3 Examines the draft quadrennial UPU business plan approved

by Congress, and finalizes it by bringing the activities set out

in the draft plan for the four-year period into line with the

actual resources available. The plan should also, if appropriate,

be in line with the results of the prioritization process carried

out by Congress. The finalized version of the quadrennial

business plan, completed and approved by the CA, will then form

the basis for the preparation of the annual UPU Programme and

Budget as well as for the annual operating plans to be drawn up

and implemented by the CA and POC.

1.4 Considers and approves the annual programme and budget and

the accounts of the Union, while taking into account the final

version of the UPU Business Plan, as described in article

107.1.3.

1.5 Authorizes the ceiling of expenditure to be exceeded, if

circumstances so require, in accordance with article 145.3 to

5.

1.6 Authorizes election of a lower contribution class, if it

is so requested, in accordance with the conditions set out in

article 150.6.

1.7 Authorizes a change of geographical group if it is so

requested by a member country, taking into account the views

expressed by the member countries which are members of the

geographical groups concerned.

1.8 Creates or abolishes International Bureau posts taking

into account the restrictions imposed by the expenditure ceiling

fixed.

1.9 Decides on the contacts to be established with member

countries in order to carry out its functions.

1.10 After consulting the Postal Operations Council, decides

on the relations to be established with the organizations which

are not observers within the meaning of article 105.1.

1.11 Considers and approves the reports by the International

Bureau on UPU relations with other international bodies and takes

the decisions which it considers appropriate on the conduct of

such relations and the action to be taken on them.

1.12 Designates in due course, after consulting the Postal

Operations Council and the Secretary General, the specialized

agencies of the United Nations, international organizations,

associations, enterprises and qualified persons to be invited as

ad hoc observers to specificē meetings of Congress and its

Committees when this is in the interest of the Union or the work

of the Congress and instructs the Director General of the

International Bureau to issue the necessary invitations.

1.13 Designates the member country where the next Congress is

to be held in the case provided for in article 101.3.

1.14 Determines in due course and after consulting the Postal

Operations Council the number of Committees required to carry out

the work of Congress, and specifies their functions.

1.15 Designates, after consulting the Postal Operations

Council and subject to the approval of Congress, the member

countries prepared:

1.15.1 to assume the vice-chairmanships of Congress and the

chairmanships and vice-chairmanships of the Committees, taking as

much account as possible of the equitable geographical

distribution of the member countries; and

1.15.2 to sit on the Restricted Committees of the

Congress.

1.16 Designates those of its members that will serve as

members of the Consultative Committee.

1.17 Considers and approves, within the framework of its

competence, any action considered necessary to safeguard and

enhance the quality of and to modernize the international postal

service.

1.18 Studies, at the request of Congress, the Postal

Operations Council or member countries, administrative,

legislative and legal problems concerning the Union or the

international postal service; it shall be for the Council of

Administration to decide, in the above-mentioned fields, whether

it is expedient to undertake the studies requested by member

countries between Congresses.

1.19 Formulates proposals which shall be submitted for the

approval either of Congress or of member countries in accordance

with article 140.

1.20 Submits subjects for study to the Postal Operations

Council for examination in accordance with article 113.1.6.

1.21 Reviews and approves, in consultation with the Postal

Operations Council, the draft Strategy for presentation to

Congress.

1.22 Receives and discusses reports and recommendations from

the Consultative Committee and considers recommendations from the

Consultative Committee for submission to Congress.

1.23 Provides control over the activities of the International

Bureau.

1.24 Approves the annual report on the work of the Union and

the annual Financial Operating Reports prepared by the

International Bureau and, where appropriate, furnishes

observations on them.

1.25 Establishes principles, as may be considered necessary,

for the Postal Operations Council to take into account in its

study of questions with major financial repercussions (charges,

terminal dues, transit charges, basic airmail conveyance rates

and the posting abroad of letter-post items), follows closely the

study of these questions, and reviews and approves, for

conformity with the aforementioned principles, Postal Operations

Council proposals relating to these questions.

1.26 Approves, within the framework of its competence, the

recommendations of the Postal Operations Council for the

adoption, if necessary, of regulations or of a new procedure

until such time as Congress takes a decision in the matter.

1.27 Considers the annual report prepared by the Postal

Operations Council and any proposals submitted by the

Council.

1.28 Approves the four-yearly report prepared by the

International Bureau in consultation with the Postal Operations

Council, on the performance of member countries in respect of the

execution of the Union Strategy approved by the preceding

Congress, for submission to the following Congress.

1.29 Establishes the framework for the organization of the

Consultative Committee and concurs in the organization of the

Consultative Committee, in accordance with the provisions of

article 122.

1.30 Establishes criteria for membership of the Consultative

Committee and approves or rejects applications for membership in

accordance with those criteria, ensuring that action on the

applications is accomplished through an expedited process between

meetings of the Council of Administration.

1.31 Lays down the Financial Regulations of the Union.

1.32 Lays down the rules governing the Reserve Fund.

1.33 Lays down the rules governing the Special Fund.

1.34 Lays down the rules governing the Special Activities

Fund.

1.35 Lays down the rules governing the Voluntary Fund.

1.36 Lays down the Staff Regulations and the conditions of

service of the elected officials.

1.37 Lays down the Regulations of the Social Fund.

1.38 Exercises, within the context of article 152, overall

supervision of the creation and activities of user-funded

subsidiary bodies.

Article 108

Organization of CA sessions

1 At its constituent meeting, which shall be convened and

opened by the Chairman of Congress, the Council of Administration

shall elect four Vice-Chairmen from among its members and draw up

its Rules of Procedure.

2 On convocation by its Chairman, the Council of

Administration shall meet in principle once a year, at Union

headquarters.

3 The Chairman and Vice-Chairmen and the Committee Chairmen

and Vice-Chairmen of the Council of Administration shall form the

Management Committee. This Committee shall prepare and direct the

work of each session of the Council of Administration. It shall

approve, on behalf of the Council of Administration, the annual

report prepared by the International Bureau on the work of the

Union and it shall take on any other task which the Council of

Administration decides to assign to it or the need for which

arises in the course of the strategic planning process.

4 The Chairman of the Postal Operations Council shall

represent that body at meetings of the Council of Administration

when the agenda contains questions of interest to the Postal

Operations Council.

5 The Chairman of the Consultative Committee shall represent

that organization at meetings of the Council of Administration

when the agenda contains questions of interest to the

Consultative Committee.

Article 109

Observers

1 Observers

1.1 To ensure effective liaison between the work of the two

bodies, the Postal Operations Council may designate

representatives to attend Council of Administration meetings as

observers.

1.2 Member countries of the Union which are not members of the

Council, as well as the observers and ad hoc observers referred

to in article 105, may participate in the plenary sessions and

Committee meetings of the Council of Administration, without the

right to vote:.

2 Principles

2.1 For logistical reasons, the Council of Administration may

limit the number of attendees per observer and ad hoc observer

participating. It may also limit their right to speak during the

debates.

2.2 Observers and ad hoc observers may, at their request, be

allowed to cooperate in the studies undertaken, subject to such

conditions as the Council may establish to ensure the efficiency

and effectiveness of its work. They may also be invited to chair

Working Parties and Project Teams when their experience or

expertise justifies it. The participation of observers and ad hoc

observers shall be carried out without additional expense for the

Union.

2.3 In exceptional circumstances, members of the Consultative

Committee and ad hoc observers may be excluded from a meeting or

a portion of a meeting or may have their right to receive

documents restricted if the confidentiality of the subject of the

meeting or document so requires. This restriction may be decided

on a case-by-case basis by any body concerned or its Chair. The

case-by-case situations shall be reported to the Council of

Administration and to the Postal Operations Council when matters

of interest to the Postal Operations Council are concerned. If it

considers this necessary, the Council of Administration may

subsequently review restrictions, in consultation with the Postal

Operations Council where appropriate.

Article 110

Reimbursement of travel expenses

1 The travel expenses of the representative of each of the

members of the Council of Administration participating in its

meetings shall be borne by his member country. However, the

representative of each of the member countries classified as

developing or least developed countries according to the lists

established by the United Nations shall, except for meetings

which take place during Congress, be entitled to reimbursement of

the price of an economy class return air ticket or first class

return rail ticket, or expenses incurred for travel by any other

means, subject to the condition that the amount does not exceed

the price of the economy class return air ticket. The same

entitlement shall be granted to each member of its Committees,

Working Parties or other bodies when these meet outside Congress

and the sessions of the Council.

Article 111

Information on the activities of the

CA

1 After each session, the Council of Administration shall

inform the member countries and their designated operators, the

Restricted Unions and the members of the Consultative Committee

about its activities by sending them, inter alia, a summary

record and its resolutions and decisions.

2 The Council of Administration shall make to Congress a

comprehensive report on its work and send it to the member

countries of the Union, their designated operators and the

members of the Consultative Committee at least two months before

the opening of Congress.

Section 3

Postal Operations Council (POC)

Article 112

Composition and functioning of the

POC

1 The Postal Operations Council shall consist of forty members

who shall exercise their functions during the period between

successive Congresses.

2 The members of the Postal Operations Council shall be

elected by Congress on the basis of qualified geographical

distribution. Twenty-four seats shall be reserved for developing

member countries and sixteen seats for developed member

countries. At least one third of the members shall be renewed at

each Congress.

3 Each member of the Postal Operations Council shall appoint

its representative, who shall have responsibilities for

delivering services mentioned in the Acts of the Union. The

members of the Postal Operations Council shall take an active

part in its work.

4 The operational expenses of the Postal Operations Council

shall be borne by the Union. Its members shall not receive any

payment.

Article 113

Functions of the POC

1 The Postal Operations Council shall have the following

functions:

1.1 Coordinates practical measures for the development and

improvement of international postal services.

1.2 Takes, subject to Council of Administration approval

within the framework of the latter's competence, any action

considered necessary to safeguard and enhance the quality of and

to modernizē the international postal service.

1.3 Decides on the contacts to be established with member

countries and their designated operators in order to carry out

its functions.

1.4 Takes the necessary steps to study and publicize the

experiments and progress made by certain member countries and

their designated operators in the technical, operational,

economic and vocational training fields of interest to the postal

services.

1.5 Takes, in consultation with the Council of Administration,

appropriate steps in the sphere of technical cooperation with all

member countries of the Union and their designated operators and

in particular with the new and developing countries and their

designated operators.

1.6 Examines any other questions submitted to it by a member

of the Postal Operations Council, by the Council of

Administration or by any member country or designated

operator.

1.7 Receives and discusses reports as well as recommendations

from the Consultative Committee and, when matters of interest to

the Postal Operations Council are involved, to examines and

comments on recommendations from the Consultative Committee for

submission to Congress.

1.8 Designates those of its members that will serve as members

of the Consultative Committee.

1.9 Conducts the study of the most important operational,

commercial, technical, economic and technical cooperation

problems which are of interest to all member countries or their

designated operators, including questions with major financial

repercussions (charges, terminal dues, transit charges, airmail

conveyance rates, parcel-post rates, and the posting abroad of

letter-post items), and prepares information, opinions and

recommendations for action on them.

1.10 Provides input to the Council of Administration for the

development of the draft Strategy to be submitted to

Congress.

1.11 Studies teaching and vocational training problems of

interest to member countries and their designated operators, as

well as to the new and developing countries.

1.12 Studies the present position and needs of the postal

services in the new and developing countries and prepares

appropriate recommendations on ways and means of improving the

postal services in those countries.

1.13 Revises the Regulations of the Union within six months

following the end of the Congress unless the latter decides

otherwise; in case of urgent necessity, the Postal Operations

Council may also amend the said Regulations at other sessions; in

both cases, the Postal Operations Council shall be subject to

Council of Administration guidance on matters of fundamental

policy and principle.

1.14 Formulates proposals which shall be submitted for the

approval either of Congress or of member countries in accordance

with article 140; the approval of the Council of Administration

is required when these proposals concern questions within the

latter's competence.

1.15 Examines, at the request of a member country, any

proposal which that member country forwards to the International

Bureau under article 139, prepares observations on it and

instructs the International Bureau to annex these observations to

the proposal before submitting it for approval to the member

countries.

1.16 Recommends, if necessary, and where appropriate after

approval by the Council of Administration and consultation of all

the member countries, the adoption of regulations or of a new

procedure until such time as Congress takes a decision in the

matter.

1.17 Prepares and issues, in the form of recommendations to

member countries and designated operators, standards for

technological, operational and other processes within its

competence where uniformity of practice is essential; it shall

similarly issue, as required, amendments to standards it has

already set.

1.18 Establishes the framework for the organization of

user-funded subsidiary bodies and concurs in the organization of

these bodies in accordance with the provisions of article

152.

1.19 Receives and discusses reports from the user-funded

subsidiary bodies on an annual basis.

Article 114

Organization of POC sessions

1 At its first meeting, which shall be convened and opened by

the Chairman of Congress, the Postal Operations Council shall

choose from among its members a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, and

the Committee Chairmen and draw up its Rules of Procedure.

2 In principle, the Postal Operations Council shall meet every

year at Union headquarters. The date and place of the meeting

shall be fixed by its Chairman in agreement with the Chairman of

the Council of Administration and the Director General of the

International Bureau.

3 The Chairman and Vice-Chairman and the Committee Chairmen

and Vice-Chairmen of the Postal Operations Council shall form the

Management Committee. This Committee shall prepare and direct the

work of each meeting of the Postal Operations Council and take on

all the tasks which the latter decides to assign to it or the

need for which arises in the course of the strategic planning

process.

4 On the basis of the Union Strategy adopted by Congress and,

in particular, the part relating to the strategies of the

permanent bodies of the Union, the Postal Operations Council

shall, at its session following Congress, prepare a basic work

programme containing a number of tactics aimed at implementing

the strategies. This basic work programme, which shall include a

limited number of projects on topical subjects of common

interest, shall be revised annually in the light of new realities

and priorities.

5 The Chairman of the Consultative Committee shall represent

that organization at meetings of the Postal Operations Council

when the agenda contains questions of interest to the

Consultative Committee.

Article 115

Observers

1 Observers

1.1 In order to ensure effective liaison between the work of

the two bodies, the Council of Administration may designate

representatives to attend Postal Operations Council meetings as

observers.

1.2 Member countries of the Union which are not members of the

Council, as well as the observers and ad hoc observers referred

to in article 105, may participate in the plenary sessions and

Committee meetings of the Postal Operations Council, without the

right to vote:.

2 Principles

2.1 For logistical reasons, the Postal Operations Council may

limit the number of attendees per observer and ad hoc observer

participating. It may also limit their right to speak during the

debates.

2.2 Observers and ad hoc observers may, at their request, be

allowed to cooperate in the studies undertaken, subject to such

conditions as the Council may establish to ensure the efficiency

and effectiveness of its work. They may also be invited to chair

Working Parties and Project Teams when their experience or

expertise justifies it. The participation of observers and ad hoc

observers shall be carried out without additional expense for the

Union.

2.3 In exceptional circumstances, members of the Consultative

Committee and ad hoc observers may be excluded from a meeting or

a portion of a meeting or may have their right to receive

documents restricted if the confidentiality of the subject of the

meeting or document so requires. This restriction may be decided

on a case-by-case basis by any body concerned or its Chair. The

case-by-case situations shall be reported to the Council of

Administration and to the Postal Operations Council when matters

of interest to the Postal Operations Council are concerned. If it

considers this necessary, the Council of Administration may

subsequently review restrictions, in consultation with the Postal

Operations Council where appropriate.

Article 116

Reimbursement of travel expenses

1 Travelling and living expenses incurred by representatives

of member countries participating in the Postal Operations

Council shall be borne by these member countries. However, the

representative of each of the member countries considered to be

disadvantaged according to the lists established by the United

Nations shall, except for meetings which take place during

Congress, be entitled to reimbursement of the price of an economy

class return air ticket or first class return rail ticket, or

expenses incurred for travel by any other means, subject to the

condition that the amount does not exceed the price of the

economy class return air ticket.

Article 117

Information on the activities of the

POC

1 After each session, the Postal Operations Council shall

inform the member countries and their designated operators, the

Restricted Unions and the members of the Consultative Committee

about its activities by sending them, inter alia, a summary

record and its resolutions and decisions.

2 The Postal Operations Council shall prepare for the Council

of Administration an annual report on its work.

3 The Postal Operations Council shall make to Congress a

comprehensive report on its work, including reports on

user-funded subsidiary bodies as provided for in article 152, and

send it to member countries of the Union, their designated

operators and members of the Consultative Committee at least two

months before the opening of Congress.

Section 4

Consultative Committee (CC)

Article 118

Aim of the CC

1 The aim of the Consultative Committee is to represent the

interests of the wider international postal sector, and to

provide a framework for effective dialogue between

stakeholders.

Article 119

Composition of the CC

1 The Consultative Committee shall consist of:

1.1 non-governmental organizations representing customers,

delivery service providers, organizations of workers, suppliers

of goods and services to the postal services sector and like

organizations of individuals and companies which have an interest

in supporting the mission and objectives of the Union. Where such

organizations are registered, they must be registered in a member

country of the Union;

1.2 members designated by the Council of Administration from

among its members;

1.3 members designated by the Postal Operations Council from

among its members.

2 The operational costs of the Consultative Committee shall be

shared by the Union and members of the Committee as determined by

the Council of Administration.

3 The members of the Consultative Committee shall not receive

remuneration or any other compensation.

Article 120

Membership of the CC

1 Apart from members designated by the Council of

Administration and the Postal Operations Council, membership of

the Consultative Committee shall be determined through a process

of application and acceptance established by the Council of

Administration, carried out in accordance with article

107.1.30.

2 Each member of the Consultative Committee shall appoint its

own representative.

Article 121

Functions of the CC

1 The Consultative Committee shall have the following

functions:

1.1 Examines documents and reports of the Council of

Administration and the Postal Operations Council. In exceptional

circumstances, the right to receive certain texts and documents

may be restricted if the confidentiality of the subject of the

meeting or document so requires. This restriction may be decided

on a case-by-case basis by any body concerned or its Chairman.

The case-bycase situations shall be reported to the Council of

Administration, and to the Postal Operations Council when matters

of interest to the Postal Operations Council are concerned. If it

considers this necessary, the Council of Administration may

subsequently review restrictions, in consultation with the Postal

Operations Council, where appropriate.

1.2 Conducts and contributes to studies of issues of

importance to the Consultative Committee's members.

1.3 Considers issues affecting the postal services sector and

issues reports on such issues.

1.4 Provides input to the work of the Council of

Administration and the Postal Operations Council, including

submitting reports and recommendations and giving opinions at the

request of the two Councils.

1.5 Makes recommendations to Congress, subject to the approval

of the Council of Administration and, when matters of interest to

the Postal Operations Council are involved, subject to

examination and comment by the Postal Operations Council.

Article 122

Organization of the CC

1 The Consultative Committee shall reorganize itself after

each Congress in accordance with the framework established by the

Council of Administration. The Chairman of the Council of

Administration shall preside at the organizational meeting of the

Consultative Committee, which shall elect its Chairman at that

meeting.

2 The Consultative Committee shall determine its internal

organization and shall draw up its own rules of procedure, taking

into account the general principles of the Union and subject to

the concurrence of the Council of Administration after having

consulted the Postal Operations Council.

3 The Consultative Committee shall meet once a year. In

principle, the meetings will be held at Union headquarters at the

same time as meetings of the Postal Operations Council. The date

and location of each meeting shall be fixed by the Chairman of

the Consultative Committee, in agreement with the Chairmen of the

Council of Administration and the Postal Operations Council and

the Director General of the International Bureau.

Article 123

Representatives of the Consultative

Committee at the Council of Administration, the Postal Operations

Council and Congress

1 In order to ensure effective liaison with the bodies of the

Union, the Consultative Committee may designate representatives

to attend meetings of Congress, the Council of Administration,

and the Postal Operations Council, and their respective

Committees, as observers without the right to vote.

2 Members of the Consultative Committee are invited to plenary

sessions and Committee meetings of the Council of Administration

and the Postal Operations Council in accordance with article 105.

They may also participate in the work of project teams and

working groups under terms established in articles 109.2.2 and

115.2.2.

3 The Chairman of the Council of Administration and the

Chairman of the Postal Operations Council shall represent those

bodies at meetings of the Consultative Committee when the agenda

of such meetings contains questions of interest to those

bodies.

Article 124

CC observers

1 Other member countries of the Union and the observers and ad

hoc observers referred to in article 105 may participate in the

sessions of the Consultative Committee, without the right to

vote.

2 For logistical reasons, the Consultative Committee may limit

the number of attendees per observer and ad hoc observer

participating. It may also limit their right to speak during the

debates.

3 In exceptional circumstances, observers and ad hoc observers

may be excluded from a meeting or a portion of a meeting or may

have their right to receive documents restricted if the

confidentiality of the subject of the meeting or document so

requires. This restriction may be decided on a case-by-case basis

by any body concerned or its Chair. The case-by-case situations

shall be reported to the Council of Administration and to the

Postal Operations Council when matters of interest to the Postal

Operations Council are concerned. If it considers this necessary,

the Council of Administration may subsequently review

restrictions, in consultation with the Postal Operations Council

where appropriate.

Article 125

Information on the activities of the

CC

1 After each session, the Consultative Committee shall inform

the Council of Administration and the Postal Operations Council

of its activities by sending to the Chairmen of those bodies,

inter alia, a summary record of its meetings and its

recommendations and views.

2 The Consultative Committee shall make to the Council of

Administration an annual activity report, with a copy to the

Postal Operations Council. This report shall be included in the

documentation of the Council of Administration provided to member

countries of the Union, to their designated operators and to the

Restricted Unions, in accordance with article 111.

3 The Consultative Committee shall make to Congress a

comprehensive report on its work and send it to the member

countries and their designated operators at least two months

before the opening of Congress.

Chapter II

International Bureau

Section 1

Election and duties of the Director

General and Deputy Director General of the International

Bureau

Article 126

Election of the Director General and

Deputy Director General of the International Bureau

1 The Director General and the Deputy Director General of the

International Bureau shall be elected by Congress for the period

between two successive Congresses, the minimum duration of their

term of Office being four years. Their term of office shall be

renewable once only. Unless Congress decides otherwise, the date

on which they take up their duties shall be fixed at 1 January of

the year following that in which Congress is held.

2 At least seven months before the opening of Congress, the

Director General of the International Bureau shall send a

memorandum to the Governments of member countries inviting them

to submit their applications, if any, for the posts of Director

General and Deputy Director General and indicating at the same

time whether the Director General and Deputy Director General in

office are interested in a renewal of their initial term of

office. The applications, accompanied by a curriculum vitae, must

reach the International Bureau at least two months before the

opening of Congress. The candidates must be nationals of the

member countries which put them forward. The International Bureau

shall prepare the election documents for Congress. The election

of the Director General and that of the Deputy Director General

shall take place by secret ballot, the first election being for

the post of Director General.

3 If the post of Director General falls vacant, the Deputy

Director General shall take over the functions of Director

General until the expiry of the latter's term of office; he

shall be eligible for election to that post and shall

automatically be accepted as a candidate, provided that his

initial term of office as Deputy Director General has not already

been renewed once by the preceding Congress and that he declares

his interest in being considered as a candidate for the post of

Director General.

4 If the posts of Director General and Deputy Director General

fall vacant at the same time, the Council of Administration shall

elect, on the basis of the applications received following

notification of the vacancies, a Deputy Director General for the

period extending up to the next Congress. With regard to the

submission of applications, paragraph 2 shall apply by

analogy.

5 If the post of Deputy Director General falls vacant, the

Council of Administration shall, on the proposal of the Director

General, instruct one of the grade D 2 Directors at the

International Bureau to take over the functions of Deputy

Director General until the following Congress.

Article 127

Duties of the Director General

1 The Director General shall organize, administer and direct

the International Bureau, of which he is the legal

representative.

2 Regarding the classification of posts, appointments and

promotions:

2.1 the Director General shall be empowered to classify posts

in grades G 1 to D 2 and to appoint and promote officials in

those grades.

2.2 for appointments in grades P 1 to D 2, he shall consider

the professional qualifications of the candidates recommended by

the member countries of which the candidates are nationals or in

which they exercise their professional activities, taking into

account equitable geographical distribution with respect to

continents and languages. D 2 posts shall as far as possible be

filled by candidates from different regions and from regions

other than those from which the Director General and Deputy

Director General originate, bearing in mind the paramount

consideration of the efficiency of the International Bureau. In

the case of posts requiring special qualifications, the Director

General may seek applications from outside;

2.3 he shall also consider, for the appointment of a new

official, that, in principle, persons occupying grade D 2, D 1

and P 5 posts must be nationals of different member countries of

the Union;

2.4 for the promotion of an official of the International

Bureau to grades D 2, D 1 and P 5, he shall not be bound to apply

the same principle as under 2.3;

2.5 the requirements of equitable geographical and language

distribution shall rank behind merit in the recruitment

process;

2.6 the Director General shall inform the Council of

Administration once a year of appointments and promotions in

grades P 4 to D 2.

3 Furthermore, the Director General shall have the following

duties:

3.1 acts as depositary of the Acts of the Union and as

intermediary in the procedure of accession and admission to and

withdrawal from the Union;

3.2 notifies the decisions taken by Congress to all the

Governments of member countries;

3.3 notifies all member countries and their designated

operators of the Regulations drawn up or revised by the Postal

Operations Council;

3.4 prepares the draft annual budget of the Union at the

lowest possible level consistent with the requirements of the

Union and submits it in due course to the Council of

Administration for consideration; communicates the budget to the

member countries of the Union after approval by the Council of

Administration and executes it;

3.5 executes the specific activities requested by the bodies

of the Union and those assigned to him by the Acts;

3.6 takes action to achieve the objectives set by the bodies

of the Union, within the framework of the established policy and

the funds available;

3.7 submits suggestions and proposals to the Council of

Administration or to the Postal Operations Council;

3.8 following the close of Congress, submits proposals to the

Postal Operations Council concerning changes to the Regulations

required as a result of Congress decisions, in accordance with

the Rules of Procedure of the Postal Operations Council;

3.9 prepares, for the Council of Administration and on the

basis of directives issued by the Councils, the draft Union

Strategy to be submitted to Congress;

3.10 prepares, for approval by the Council of Administration,

a four-yearly report on the member countries' performance in

respect of the Union Strategy approved by the preceding Congress,

which will be submitted to the following Congress;

3.11 ensures the representation of the Union;

3.12 acts as an intermediary in relations between:

3.12.1 the UPU and the Restricted Unions;

3.12.2 the UPU and the United Nations;

3.12.3 the UPU and the international organizations whose

activities are of interest to the Union;

3.12.4 the UPU and the international organizations or the

associations or enterprises that the bodies of the Union wish to

consult or associate with their work;

3.13 assumes the duties of Secretary General of the bodies of

the Union and supervises in this capacity, taking into account

the special provisions of these General Regulations, in

particular:

3.13.1 the preparation and organization of the work of the

Union's bodies;

3.13.2 the preparation, production and distribution of

documents, reports and minutes;

3.13.3 the functioning of the secretariat at meetings of the

Union's bodies;

3.14 attends the meetings of the bodies of the Union and takes

part in the discussions without the right to vote, with the

possibility of being represented.

Article 128

Duties of the Deputy Director

General

1 The Deputy Director General shall assist the Director

General and shall be responsible to him.

2 If the Director General is absent or prevented from

discharging his duties, the Deputy Director General shall

exercise his functions. The same shall apply in the case of a

vacancy in the post of Director General as mentioned in article

126.3.

Section 2

Secretariat of the Union bodies and

the Consultative Committee

Article 129

General remarks

1 The secretariat of the Union's bodies and the

Consultative Committee shall be provided by the International

Bureau under the responsibility of the Director General.

Article 130

Preparation and distribution of

documents of the Union bodies

1 The International Bureau shall prepare and make available

through the UPU website all the documents published on the

occasion of each session. The International Bureau shall also

indicate new e-document publications on the UPU website by means

of an efficient web-signalling system.

Article 131

List of member countries (Const.

2)

1 The International Bureau shall prepare and keep up to date

the list of member countries of the Union showing therein their

contribution class, their geographical group and their position

with respect to the Acts of the Union.

Article 132

Information. Opinions. Requests for

explanation and amendment of the Acts. Inquiries.

Role in the settlement of accounts

(Const. 20; Gen. Regs 139, 140, 143)

1 The International Bureau shall be at all times at the

disposal of the Council of Administration, the Postal Operations

Council and member countries and their designated operators for

the purpose of supplying them with any necessary information on

questions relating to the service.

2 In particular it shall collect, collate, publish and

distribute all kinds of information of interest to the

international postal service, give an opinion, at the request of

the parties involved, on questions in dispute, act on requests

for explanation and amendment of the Acts of the Union and, in

general, carry out such studies and editorial or documentary work

as are assigned to it by those Acts or as may be referred to it

in the interest of the Union. 3 It shall also conduct inquiries

requested by member countries and their designated operators to

obtain the views of other member countries and designated

operators on a particular question. The result of an inquiry

shall not have the status of a vote and shall not be formally

binding.

4 It may act as a clearing house in the settlement of accounts

of all kinds relating to the postal service.

5 The International Bureau shall ensure the confidentiality

and security of commercial data provided by member countries

and/or their designated operators for the performance of its

duties arising from the Acts or decisions of the Union.

Article 133

Technical cooperation (Const. 1)

1 The International Bureau shall develop postal technical

assistance in all its forms within the framework of international

technical cooperation.

Article 134

Forms supplied by the International

Bureau (Const. 20)

1 The International Bureau shall be responsible for arranging

the manufacture of international reply coupons and for supplying

them, at cost, to member countries or their designated operators

ordering them.

Article 135

Acts of Restricted Unions and

Special Agreements (Const. 8)

1 Two copies of the Acts of Restricted Unions and of Special

Agreements concluded under article 8 of the Constitution shall be

sent to the International Bureau by the offices of such Unions,

or failing that, by one of the contracting parties.

2 The International Bureau shall see that the Acts of

Restricted Unions and Special Agreements do not include

conditions less favourable to the public than those which are

provided for in the Acts of the Union.

It shall notify the Council of Administration of any

irregularity discovered through applying this provision.

3 The International Bureau shall inform member countries and

their designated operators of the existence of the Restricted

Unions and the Special Agreements mentioned above.

Article 136

Union periodical

1 The International Bureau shall publish, with the aid of the

documents made available to it, a periodical in Arabic, Chinese,

English, French, German, Russian and Spanish.

Article 137

Annual report on the work of the

Union (Const. 20; Gen. Regs 107.1.24)

1 The International Bureau shall make an annual report on the

work of the Union, which shall be sent, after approval by the

Management Committee of the Council of Administration, to member

countries and/or designated operators, the Restricted Unions and

the United Nations.

Chapter III

Submission, consideration of

proposals, notification of decisions adopted and entry into force

of the Regulations and other decisions adopted

Article 138

Procedure for submitting proposals

to Congress (Const. 29)

1 Subject to the exceptions provided for in paragraphs 2 and

5, the following procedure shall govern the submission of

proposals of all kinds to Congress by member countries:

1.1 proposals which reach the International Bureau at least

six months before the date fixed for Congress shall be

accepted;

1.2 no drafting proposal shall be accepted during the period

of six months preceding the date fixed for Congress;

1.3 proposals of substance which reach the International

Bureau in the interval between six and four months before the

date fixed for Congress shall not be accepted unless they are

supported by at least two member countries;

1.4 proposals of substance which reach the International

Bureau in the interval between four and two months preceding the

date fixed for Congress shall not be accepted unless they are

supported by at least eight member countries; proposals which

arrive after that time shall no longer be accepted;

1.5 declarations of support must reach the International

Bureau within the same period of time as the proposals to which

they refer.

2 Proposals concerning the Constitution or the General

Regulations shall reach the International Bureau not later than

six months before the opening of Congress; any received after

that date but before the opening of Congress shall not be

considered unless Congress so decides by a majority of two thirds

of the member countries represented at Congress and unless the

conditions laid down in paragraph 1 are fulfilled.

3 Every proposal must, as a rule, have only one aim and

contain only the changes justified by that aim. Similarly, each

proposal liable to lead to significant costs for the Union shall

be accompanied by an indication of its financial impact, prepared

by the member country submitting the proposal, in consultation

with the International Bureau, so that the financial resources

needed for its implementation can be determined.

4 Drafting proposals shall be headed "Drafting

proposal" by the member countries which submit them and

shall be published by the International Bureau under a number

followed by the letter R. Proposals which do not bear this

indication but which, in the opinion of the International Bureau,

deal only with drafting points shall be published with an

appropriate annotation; the International Bureau shall draw up a

list of these proposals for Congress.

5 The procedure prescribed in paragraphs 1 and 4 shall not

apply either to proposals concerning the Rules of Procedure of

Congresses or to amendments to proposals already made.

Article 139

Procedure for submitting proposals

amending the Convention or the Agreements between Congresses

1 To be eligible for consideration, every proposal concerning

the Convention or the Agreements submitted by a member country

between Congresses shall be supported by at least two other

member countries. Such proposals shall lapse if the International

Bureau does not receive, at the same time, the necessary number

of declarations of support.

2 These proposals shall be sent to other member countries

through the intermediary of the International Bureau.

Article 140

Consideration of proposals amending

the Convention or the Agreements between Congresses

1 Every proposal concerning the Convention, the Agreements and

their Final Protocols shall be subject to the following

procedure: where a member country has sent a proposal to the

International Bureau, the latter shall forward it to all member

countries for examination. They shall be allowed a period of two

months in which to examine the proposal and forward any

observations to the International Bureau. Amendments shall not be

admissible. Once these two months have elapsed, the International

Bureau shall forward to member countries all the observations it

has received and invite each member country to vote for or

against the proposal. Member countries that have not sent in

their vote within a period of two months shall be considered to

have abstained. The aforementioned periods shall be reckoned from

the dates of the International Bureau circulars.

2 If the proposal relates to an Agreement or its Final

Protocol, only the member countries which are parties to that

Agreement may take part in the procedure described in paragraph

1.

Article 141

Procedure for submitting proposals

to the Postal Operations Council concerning the preparation of

new Regulations in the light of decisions taken by Congress

1 The Regulations of the Universal Postal Convention and the

Postal Payment Services Agreement shall be drawn up by the Postal

Operations Council in the light of the decisions taken by

Congress.

2 Proposals that are consequential on proposed amendments to

the Convention or Postal Payment Services Agreement should be

submitted to the International Bureau simultaneously with the

Congress proposals to which they relate. They may be submitted by

a single member country without the support of other member

countries. Such proposals shall be distributed to all member

countries no later than one month prior to Congress.

3 Other proposals concerning the Regulations for consideration

by the Postal Operations Council in its preparation of the new

Regulations within the six months following Congress shall be

submitted to the International Bureau at least two months before

Congress.

4 Proposals concerning changes to the Regulations required as

a result of Congress decisions that are submitted by member

countries must reach the International Bureau no later than two

months before the opening of the Postal Operations Council. Such

proposals shall be distributed to all member countries and their

designated operators no later than one month prior to the opening

of the Postal Operations Council.

Article 142

Amendment of the Regulations by the

Postal Operations Council

1 Proposals for amending the Regulations shall be dealt with

by the Postal Operations Council.

2 No support by a member country shall be required for

submitting any proposal to amend the Regulations.

3 Such a proposal shall not be considered unless the Postal

Operations Council agrees to its urgent necessity.

Article 143

Notification of decisions adopted

between Congresses (Const. 29; Gen. Regs 139, 140, 142)

1 Amendments made to the Convention, the Agreements and the

Final Protocols to those Acts shall be sanctioned by notification

thereof to the Governments of member countries by the Director

General of the International Bureau.

2 Amendments made to the Regulations and their Final Protocols

by the Postal Operations Council shall be communicated to member

countries and their designated operators by the International

Bureau. The same shall apply to the interpretations referred to

in article 38.3.2 of the Convention and in the corresponding

provisions of the Agreements.

Article 144

Entry into force of the Regulations

and of the other decisions adopted between Congresses

1 The Regulations shall come into force on the same date and

shall have the same duration as the Acts laid down by

Congress.

2 Subject to the provisions of paragraph 1, decisions on

amending the Acts of the Union which are adopted between

Congresses shall not take effect until at least three months

after their notification.

Chapter IV

Finance

Article 145

Fixing of the expenditure of the

Union (Const. 21)

1 Subject to the provisions of paragraphs 2 to 6, the annual

expenditure relating to the activities of bodies of the Union may

not exceed 37,235,000 Swiss francs for the years 2013 to

2016.

2 The expenditure relating to the convening of the next

Congress (travelling expenses of the secretariat, transport

charges, cost of installing simultaneous interpretation

equipment, cost of reproducing documents during the Congress,

etc.) shall not exceed the limit of 2,900,000 Swiss francs.

3 The Council of Administration shall be authorized to exceed

the limits laid down in paragraphs 1 and 2 to take account of

increases in salary scales, pension contributions or allowances,

including post adjustments, approved by the United Nations for

application to its staff working in Geneva.

4 The Council of Administration shall also be authorized to

adjust, each year, the amount of expenditure other than that

relating to staff on the basis of the Swiss consumer price

index.

5 Notwithstanding paragraph 1, the Council of Administration,

or in case of extreme urgency, the Director General, may

authorize the prescribed limits to be exceeded to meet the cost

of major and unforeseen repairs to the International Bureau

building, provided however that the amount of the increase does

not exceed 125,000 Swiss francs per annum.

6 If the credits authorized in paragraphs 1 and 2 prove

inadequate to ensure the smooth running of the Union, these

limits may only be exceeded with the approval of the majority of

the member countries of the Union. Any consultation shall include

a complete description of the facts justifying such a

request.

Article 146

Regulation of member countries'

contributions

1 Countries which accede to the Union or are admitted to the

status of members of the Union as well as those which leave the

Union shall pay their contributions for the whole of the year

during which their admission or withdrawal becomes effective.

2 Member countries shall pay their contributions to the

Union's annual expenditure in advance on the basis of the

budget laid down by the Council of Administration. These

contributions shall be paid not later than the first day of the

financial year to which the budget refers. After that date, the

sums due shall be chargeable with interest in favour of the Union

at the rate of 6% per annum from the fourth month.

3 Where the arrears of mandatory contributions, not including

interest, owed to the Union by a member country are equal to or

more than the amount of the contributions of that member country

for the preceding two financial years, such member country may

irrevocably assign to the Union all or part of the credits owed

it by other member countries, in accordance with the arrangements

laid down by the Council of Administration. The conditions of

this assignment of credit shall be determined by agreement

reached between the member country, its debtors/creditors and the

Union.

4 A member country which, for legal or other reasons, cannot

make such an assignment must undertake to conclude a schedule for

the amortization of its arrears.

5 Other than in exceptional circumstances, recovery of arrears

of mandatory contributions owed to the Union may not extend over

more than ten years.

6 In exceptional circumstances, the Council of Administration

may release a member country from all or part of the interest

owed if that country has paid the full capital amount of its

debts in arrears.

7 A member country may also be released, within the framework

of an amortization Schedule approved by the Council of

Administration for its accounts in arrears, from all or part of

the interest accumulated or to accrue; such release shall,

however, be subject to the full and punctual execution of the

amortization schedule within an agreed period of ten years at

most.

8 The provisions under paragraphs 3 to 7 apply by analogy to

the translation costs billed by the International Bureau to

member countries belonging to the language groups.

Article 147

Shortfalls in financing

1 A Reserve Fund shall be established with the Union to cover

shortfalls in financing. Its amount shall be fixed by the Council

of Administration. The Fund shall be maintained primarily from

budget surpluses, and may also be used to balance the budget or

reduce the amount of member countries' contributions.

2 In case of temporary shortfalls in Union financing, the

Government of the Swiss Confederation shall make the necessary

short-term advances to the Union, on conditions fixed by mutual

agreement.

Article 148

Supervision of book-keeping and

accounting

1 The Government of the Swiss Confederation shall supervise,

without charge, the book-keeping and accounting of the

International Bureau within the limits of the credits fixed by

Congress.

Article 149

Automatic sanctions

1 Any member country unable to make the assignment provided

for in article 146.3 and which does not agree to submit to an

amortization schedule proposed by the International Bureau in

accordance with article 146.4, or which does not comply with such

a schedule shall automatically lose its right to vote at Congress

and at meetings of the Council of Administration and the Postal

Operations Council and shall no longer be eligible for membership

of these two Councils.

2 Automatic sanctions shall be lifted as a matter of course

and with immediate effect as soon as the member country concerned

has paid its arrears of mandatory contributions owed to the

Union, in capital and interest, or has agreed to submit to a

schedule for the amortization of the arrears.

Article 150

Contribution classes (Const. 21;

Gen. Regs 131, 145, 146, 147 and 148)

1 Member countries shall contribute to defraying Union

expenses according to the contribution class to which they

belong. These classes shall be the following:

- class of 50 units;

- class of 45 units;

- class of 40 units;

- class of 35 units;

- class of 30 units;

- class of 25 units;

- class of 20 units;

- class of 15 units;

- class of 10 units;

- class of 5 units;

- class of 3 units;

- class of 1 unit;

- class of 0.5 unit, reserved for the least advanced countries

as listed by the United Nations and for other countries

designated by the Council of Administration.

2 Notwithstanding the contribution classes listed in paragraph

1, any member country may elect to contribute a higher number of

units than that corresponding to the contribution class to which

it belongs, for a minimum term equivalent to the period between

Congresses. The announcement of a change shall be made at the

latest at Congress. At the end of the period between Congresses,

the member country shall return automatically to its original

number of contribution units unless it decides to maintain its

contribution of a higher number of units. The payment of

additional contributions will increase the expenditure

accordingly.

3 Member countries shall be included in one of the

above-mentioned contribution classes upon their admission or

accession to the Union, in accordance with the procedure laid

down in article 21.4 of the Constitution.

4 Member countries may subsequently be placed in a lower

contribution class, on condition that the request for this change

is sent the International Bureau at least two months before the

opening of Congress. Congress shall give a non-binding opinion on

these requests for a change in contribution class. The member

country shall be free to decide whether to follow the opinion of

Congress. The final decision of the member country shall be

transmitted to the International Bureau Secretariat before the

end of Congress. This change request shall take effect on the

date of the entry into force of the financial provisions drawn up

by Congress. Member countries that have not made known their wish

to change contribution class within the required time shall

remain in the class to which they belonged up to that time.

5 Member countries may not insist on being lowered more than

one class at a time.

6 Nevertheless, in exceptional circumstances such as natural

disasters necessitating international aid programmes, the Council

of Administration may authorize a temporary reduction in

contribution class once between two Congresses when so requested

by a member country if the said member establishes that it can no

longer maintain its contribution at the class originally chosen.

In the same circumstances, the Council of Administration may also

authorize a temporary reduction for the non-least developed

countries already in the class of 1 unit by placing them in the

class of 0.5 unit.

7 The temporary reduction in contribution class in application

of paragraph 6 may be authorized by the Council of Administration

for a maximum period of two years or up to the next Congress,

whichever is earlier. On expiry of the specified period, the

country concerned shall automatically revert to its original

contribution class.

8 Notwithstanding paragraphs 4 and 5, changes to a higher

class shall not be subject to any restriction.

Article 151

Payment for supplies from the

International Bureau (Gen. Regs 134)

1 Supplies provided by the International Bureau to member

countries and their designated operators against payment shall be

paid for in the shortest possible time and at the latest within

six months from the first day of the month following that in

which the account is sent by the Bureau. After that period the

sums due shall be chargeable with interest in favour of the Union

at the rate of 5% per annum reckoned from the date of expiry of

that period.

Article 152

Organization of user-funded

subsidiary bodies

1 Subject to the approval of the Council of Administration,

the POC may establish a number of user-funded subsidiary bodies,

funded by voluntary means, in order to organize operational,

commercial, technical and economic activities which fall within

its competence under article 18 of the Constitution, but which

may not be financed by the regular budget.

2 Upon the creation of such a body under the POC, the POC

shall decide on the basic framework of the statutes of the body,

taking due consideration of the fundamental rules and principles

of the UPU as an intergovernmental organization, and shall submit

it to the CA for approval. The basic framework shall include the

following elements:

2.1 the mandate;

2.2 the constituency, including the categories of members

participating;

2.3 decision-making rules, including its internal structure

and its relationship with other UPU bodies;

2.4 voting and representation principles;

2.5 financing (subscription, usage fees, etc.);

2.6 composition of secretariat and management structure.

3 Each user-funded subsidiary body shall organize its

activities in an autonomous manner within the basic framework

decided by the POC and approved by the CA, and shall prepare an

annual report on its activities for approval by the POC.

4 The Council of Administration shall establish the rules

concerning support costs that userfunded subsidiary bodies should

contribute to the regular budget, and shall publish them in the

UPU Financial Regulations.

5 The Director General of the International Bureau shall

administer the secretariat of the userfunded subsidiary bodies in

accordance with the Staff Rules and Regulations, approved by the

CA, applicable to the staff recruited for the user-funded

subsidiary bodies. The secretariat of the subsidiary bodies shall

be an integral part of the International Bureau.

6 Information concerning user-funded subsidiary bodies

established in accordance with this article shall be reported to

Congress following their establishment.

Chapter V

Arbitration

Article 153

Arbitration procedure (Const. 32)

1 If a dispute has to be settled by arbitration between member

countries, each member country must advise the other party in

writing of the subject of the dispute and inform it, by means of

a notice to initiate arbitration, that it wishes to initiate

arbitration.

2 If the dispute concerns questions of an operational or

technical nature, each member country may ask its designated

operator to act in accordance with the procedure provided for in

the following paragraphs and delegate such power to its operator.

The member country concerned shall be informed of the progress of

the proceedings and of the result. The respective member

countries or designated operators shall hereafter be referred to

as "parties to the arbitration".

3 The parties to the arbitration shall appoint either one or

three arbitrators.

4 Where the parties to the arbitration choose to appoint three

arbitrators, each party shall, in accordance with paragraph 2,

select a member country or designated operator not directly

involved in the dispute, to act as an arbitrator. When several

member countries and/or designated operators make common cause,

they shall count only as a single party for the purposes of these

provisions.

5 Where the parties agree to the appointment of three

arbitrators, the third arbitrator shall be jointly agreed upon by

the parties and shall not need to be from a member country or

designated operator.

6 If the dispute concerns one of the Agreements, the

arbitrators may be appointed only from among the member countries

that are parties to that Agreement.

7 The parties to the arbitration may jointly agree to appoint

a single arbitrator, who shall not need to be from a member

country or designated operator.

8 If one or both parties to the arbitration do not, within a

period of three months from the date of the notice to initiate

arbitration, appoint an arbitrator or arbitrators the

International Bureau shall, if so requested, itself call upon the

defaulting member country to appoint an arbitrator, or shall

itself appoint one automatically. The International Bureau will

not be involved in the deliberations unless otherwise mutually

requested by the parties.

9 The parties to the arbitration may mutually agree to

reconcile the dispute at any time before a ruling is delivered by

the arbitrator or arbitrators. Notice of any withdrawal must be

submitted in writing to the International Bureau within 10 days

of the parties reaching such agreement. Where the parties agree

to withdraw from the arbitration process, the arbitrator or

arbitrators shall lose their authority to decide the matter.

10 The arbitrator or arbitrators shall be required to make a

decision on the dispute based on the facts and evidence before

them. All information regarding the dispute must be notified to

both parties and the arbitrator or arbitrators.

11 The decision of the arbitrator or arbitrators shall be

taken by a majority of votes, and notified to the International

Bureau and the parties within six months of the date of the

notice to initiate arbitration.

12 The arbitration proceedings shall be confidential, and only

a brief description of the dispute and the decision shall be

advised in writing to the International Bureau within 10 days of

the decision being delivered to the parties.

13 The decision of the arbitrator or arbitrators shall be

final and binding on the parties and not subject to appeal.

14 The parties to the arbitration shall implement the decision

of the arbitrator or arbitrators without delay. Where a

designated operator is delegated power by its member country to

initiate and adhere to the arbitration procedure, the member

country shall be responsible for ensuring that the designated

operator implements the decision of the arbitrator or

arbitrators.

Chapter VI

Use of languages within the

Union

Article 154

Working languages of the

International Bureau

1 The working languages of the International Bureau shall be

French and English.

Article 155

Languages used for documentation,

for debates and for official correspondence

1 In the documentation published by the Union, the French,

English, Arabic and Spanish languages shall be used. The Chinese,

German, Portuguese and Russian languages shall also be used,

provided that only the most important basic documentation is

produced in these languages. Other languages may also be used on

condition that the member countries which have made the request

bear all of the costs involved.

2 The member country or countries which have requested the use

of a language other than the official language constitute a

language group.

3 Documentation shall be published by the International Bureau

in the official language and in the languages of the other duly

constituted language groups, either directly or through the

intermediary of the regional offices of those groups in

conformity with the procedures agreed with the International

Bureau.

Publication in the different languages shall be effected in

accordance with a common standard.

4 Documentation published directly by the International Bureau

shall, as far as possible, be distributed simultaneously in the

different languages requested.

5 Correspondence between the member countries or their

designated operators of member countries and the International

Bureau and between the latter and outside entities may be

exchanged in any language for which the International Bureau has

available a translation service.

6 The costs of translation into any language, including those

resulting from the application of paragraph 5, shall be borne by

the language group which has asked for that language. The member

countries using the official language shall pay, in respect of

the translation of non-official documents, a lump-sum

contribution, the amount of which per contribution unit shall be

the same as that borne by the member countries using the other

International Bureau working language. All other costs involved

in the supply of documents shall be borne by the Union. The

ceiling of the costs to be borne by the Union for the production

of documents in Chinese, German, Portuguese and Russian shall be

fixed by a Congress resolution.

7 The costs to be borne by a language group shall be divided

among the members of that group in proportion to their

contributions to the expenses of the Union. These costs may be

divided among the members of the language group according to

another system, provided that the member countries concerned

agree to it and inform the International Bureau of their decision

through the intermediary of the spokesman of the group.

8 The International Bureau shall give effect to any change in

the choice of language requested by a member country after a

period which shall not exceed two years.

9 For the discussions at meetings of the Union's bodies,

the French, English, Spanish, Russian and Arabic languages shall

be admissible, by means of a system of interpretation - with or

without electronic equipment - the choice being left to the

judgment of the organizers of the meeting after consultation with

the Director General of the International Bureau and the member

countries concerned.

10 Other languages shall likewise be admissible for the

discussions and meetings mentioned in paragraph 9.

11 Delegations using other languages shall arrange for

simultaneous interpretation into one of the languages mentioned

in paragraph 9, either by the system indicated in the same

paragraph, when the necessary technical modifications can be

made, or by individual interpreters.

12 The costs of the interpretation services shall be shared

among the member countries using the same language in proportion

to their contributions to the expenses of the Union. However, the

costs of installing and maintaining the technical equipment shall

be borne by the Union.

13 Member countries and/or their designated operators may come

to an understanding about the language to be used for official

correspondence in their relations with one another. In the

absence of such an understanding, the language to be used shall

be French.

Chapter VII

Final provisions

Article 156

Conditions for approval of proposals

concerning the General Regulations

1 To become effective, proposals submitted to Congress

relating to these General Regulations shall be approved by a

majority of the member countries represented at Congress and

having the right to vote. At least two thirds of the member

countries of the Union having the right to vote shall be present

at the time of voting.

Article 157

Proposals concerning the Agreements

with the United Nations (Const 9)

1 The conditions of approval referred to in article 156 shall

apply equally to proposals designed to amend the Agreements

concluded between the Universal Postal Union and the United

Nations, in so far as those Agreements do not lay down conditions

for the amendment of the provisions they contain.

Article 158

Amendment, entry into force and

duration of the General Regulations

1 Amendments adopted by a Congress shall form the subject of

an additional protocol and, unless that Congress decides

otherwise, shall enter into force at the same time as the Acts

renewed in the course of the same Congress.

2 These General Regulations shall come into force on 1 January

2014 and shall remain in force for an indefinite period.

In witness whereof the plenipotentiaries of the Governments of

the member countries have signed these General Regulations in a

single original which shall be deposited with the Director

General of the International Bureau. A copy thereof shall be

delivered to each party by the International Bureau of the

Universal Postal Union.

Done at Doha, 11 October 2012

Tulkojums

Pasaules Pasta

savienības Vispārīgais reglaments

(Kongress pārstrādājis un pieņēmis

2012. gadā Dohā)

Saturs