Notice2026-07149
Competitive Postal Products
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 14, 2026
Issuing agencies
Postal Regulatory Commission
Abstract
The Commission is recognizing a recent filing by the Postal Service rates not of general applicability for its Inbound Letter Post Small Packets (Inbound E-format Letter Post) product and minor classification changes to the Mail Classification Schedule effective January 1, 2027. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 71 (Tuesday, April 14, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 71 (Tuesday, April 14, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 19220]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07149]
[[Page 19220]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. MC2026-196 and CP2026-5; Order No. 9509]
Competitive Postal Products
AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Commission is recognizing a recent filing by the Postal
Service rates not of general applicability for its Inbound Letter Post
Small Packets (Inbound E-format Letter Post) product and minor
classification changes to the Mail Classification Schedule effective
January 1, 2027. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites
public comment, and takes other administrative steps.
DATES: Comments are due: April 16, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing
Online system at <a href="http://www.prc.gov">http://www.prc.gov</a>. Those who cannot submit comments
electronically should contact the person identified in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section by telephone for advice on filing
alternatives.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at
202-789-6820.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Contents of Filing
III. Administrative Actions
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
I. Introduction
On April 8, 2026, the Postal Service filed a notice of rates not of
general applicability for Inbound Letter Post Small Packets (Inbound E-
format Letter Post), and a notice of minor classification changes to
the Mail Classification Schedule (MCS) concerning Inbound Letter Post
Small Packets, both of which will take effect on January 1, 2027.\1\
The Postal Service requests that the Commission favorably review the
proposed rates so that the Postal Service may submit the rates to the
Universal Postal Union (UPU) before the May 1, 2026 deadline. Notice at
12. The Postal Service also requests that the Commission adopt the
proposed minor classification changes to the MCS. Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Notice of the United States Postal Service of Rates Not of
General Applicability for Inbound E-Format Letter Post, Notice of
Minor Classification Changes, and Application for Non-Public
Treatment, April 8, 2026, at 1 (Notice).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
II. Contents of Filing
In its Notice, the Postal Service proposes new rates for the
Inbound Letter Post Small Packets product. Id. at 3-4. Under the
Universal Postal Convention (as amended by the UPU Dubai Congress in
2025), designated operators must submit any self-declared inbound E-
format rates that would take effect on January 1, 2027 to the UPU
International Bureau (IB) by May 1, 2026.\2\ The Postal Service states
that the proposed rates comply with 39 U.S.C. 3633. Notice at 7. To
support its proposed Inbound Letter Post Small Packets rates, the
Postal Service filed the proposed rates, a copy of the certification
required under 39 CFR 3035.105(c)(2), and a redacted copy of Governors'
Decision No. 19-1. Id. at 5-6; see id. Attachments 2-4. The Postal
Service also filed redacted financial workpapers. Notice at 6. In
addition, the Postal Service filed an unredacted copy of Governors'
Decision No. 19-1, the unredacted new rates, and unredacted financial
information under seal. Id. at 5-6. The Postal Service also provided an
application for non-public treatment of materials filed under seal
filed pursuant to 39 CFR part 3011. Id. at 5; see id. Attachment 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Id. at 3; Universal Postal Union, Decisions of the 2025
Dubai Congress, at 49, Second Additional Protocol to the Universal
Postal Convention, Article XV (Article 29 amended), paragraph 1.4,
available at <a href="https://www.upu.int/UPU/media/upu/files/aboutUpu/acts/07-actsAndOtherDecisions2025DubaiCongress/2025DubaiCongressDecisionsEn.pdf">https://www.upu.int/UPU/media/upu/files/aboutUpu/acts/07-actsAndOtherDecisions2025DubaiCongress/2025DubaiCongressDecisionsEn.pdf</a>. (Decisions of the 2025 Dubai
Congress).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Postal Service also proposes minor classification changes to
various MCS sections concerning Inbound Letter Post Small Packets,
pursuant to 39 CFR 3040.190. Id. at 7-8. The Postal Service explains
that the proposed changes should result in the MCS more accurately
representing the Postal Service's offerings as of January 1, 2027, and
they are also mandated by amendments to the Universal Postal Convention
that were adopted by the UPU Dubai Congress in September 2025. Id. at
8. These UPU amendments require that, ``effective January 1, 2027, the
`E' format of UPU letter post shall consist only of `small packets' and
not also `bulky letters.' \3\ Therefore, the Postal Service proposes
``to remove the `Bulky Letters' term from the product name in MCS
sections 2000, 2300.2, 2340.1.1, 2340.2, 2340.3, 2340.4, 2515.10.1,
2515.10.2, and 2615.4.1.'' Notice at 8; see id. Attachment 5. The
Postal Service also proposes to make two other changes for consistency,
by replacing ``prices'' with ``rates'' in MCS section 2340.6, and by
adding a new subsection ``f'' to MCS section 2340.1.1 to acknowledge
that the product is subject to the UPU Convention and its Regulations.
Notice at 8-9; see id. Attachment 5. The Postal Service states that the
proposed changes are minor instead of material in nature. Notice at 9-
11. The Postal Service submits the proposed changes to the MCS in
legislative format in Attachment 5 to the Notice. Id. at 8; see id.
Attachment 5.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Id.; Decisions of the 2025 Dubai Congress, at 39, Second
Additional Protocol to the Universal Postal Convention, Article VII
(Article 17 amended), paragraph 5.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
III. Administrative Actions
The Commission establishes Docket Nos. MC2026-196 and CP2026-5 for
consideration of matters raised by the Notice. Pursuant to 39 CFR
3010.101(q)(3) and 3040.191(d), the Commission appoints Katalin
Clendenin to serve as Public Representative in these dockets. The
Public Representative does not represent any individual person, entity
or particular point of view, and, when Commission attorneys are
appointed, no attorney-client relationship is established. The
Commission invites comments on whether the Postal Service's filing is
consistent with 39 U.S.C. 3632 and 3633 and other appliable policies
and criteria of chapter 36 of Title 39 of the United States Code, 39
CFR 3035.105 and .107, 3040.190-192, and any applicable Commission
directives and orders. Comments are due no later than April 16, 2026.
The public portions of the filing can be accessed via the Commission's
website (<a href="http://www.prc.gov">http://www.prc.gov</a>).
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
It is ordered:
1. The Commission establishes Docket Nos. MC2026-196 and CP2026-5
for consideration of the matters raised by the Postal Service's Notice.
2. Comments are due no later than April 16, 2026.
3. Pursuant to 39 CFR 3010.101(q)(3) and 3040.191(d), Katalin
Clendenin will serve as an officer of the Commission (Public
Representative) to represent the interests of the general public in
these dockets.
4. This Order, or abstract thereof, shall be published in the
Federal Register.
By the Commission.
Parvaneh Higareda,
Alternate Federal Register Liaison.
[FR Doc. 2026-07149 Filed 4-13-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on April 14, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.