- U.S. must convince postal body at Geneva meeting
- Vote on U.S. position set in face of Trump’s ultimatum
The U.S. has one more chance to convince the Universal Postal Union that each country should set its own international rates for delivering small packages, which make up the bulk of global e-commerce.
A vote of UPU member countries was announced Friday in favor of convening a special gathering, scheduled for Sept. 24-25 in Geneva, Switzerland, where the U.S. will try to amend the UPU’s rules to allow self-declared rates. If the U.S. doesn’t win that vote, it’s likely to withdraw from the UPU in October.
President Donald Trump announced on Oct. 17, 2018, that the U.S. was initiating the one-year withdrawal process from the postal union, the United Nations organization that regulates global mail delivery. But if the UPU could overhaul its rules, Trump said, the U.S. would rescind the notice and remain.
“This decision underscores the importance member countries attach to keeping the UPU intact and responsive to the needs of all,” UPU Director General Bishar Hussein said in a statement. The UPU said additional ballots were still coming in, but that 128 ballots—or the two-thirds necessary—had been received.