International Direct Sacks-Airmail M-Bags

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Commission is recognizing a recent Postal Service filing of making material changes to the description of International Direct Sacks--Airmail M-Bags, along with related proposed changes to the Mail Classification Schedule (MCS), to be effective January 17, 2027. This document informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 165 (Thursday, August 27, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 165 (Thursday, August 27, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 55366]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17444]


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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. MC2026-356; Order No. 9698]


International Direct Sacks--Airmail M-Bags

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is recognizing a recent Postal Service filing 
of making material changes to the description of International Direct 
Sacks--Airmail M-Bags, along with related proposed changes to the Mail 
Classification Schedule (MCS), to be effective January 17, 2027. This 
document informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and 
takes other administrative steps.

DATES:  Comments are due: September 8, 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. Commission Action
IV. Ordering Paragraphs

I. Introduction

    On August 21, 2026, pursuant to 39 CFR 3040.180-3040.181, the 
Postal Service filed a request to make material changes to the 
description of International Direct Sacks--Airmail M-Bags (M-Bags) in 
the Mail Classification Schedule (MCS) section 2330 by removing 
outbound M-Bags, and to make accompanying changes to MCS sections 2320, 
2615.1, and the Notes in Part D Country Price Lists for International 
Mail.\1\
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    \1\ Request of the United States Postal Service for 
Classification Changes Concerning International Direct Sacks--
Airmail M-Bags, August 21, 2026, at 1 (Request).
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II. Contents of Filing

    The Postal Service states that it proposes these material changes 
to the MCS so that its offerings will align with certain amendments to 
the Universal Postal Union (UPU) Universal Postal Convention 
(Convention) that are related to M-Bags. Request at 1. The Postal 
Service states that the 2023 UPU Riyadh Extraordinary Congress amended 
the Convention to remove M-Bags as a basic service and instead add it 
as an optional supplementary service, effective January 1, 2025.\2\ The 
Postal Service states that the postal operators of 53 countries 
subsequently decided that they would no longer accept inbound M-
Bags.\3\ The Postal Service states that the decision of these countries 
to leave the M-Bags network as well as the overall reduction in demand 
for printed matter distribution led to a significant decline in M-Bags 
volume. Id.
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    \2\ Id. at 2 (citing Decisions of the 2021 Abidjan Congress, 
Universal Postal Convention, Article 17.2.4 (listing M-Bags as one 
of the basic services) (page 55 of the PDF), <a href="https://www.upu.int/UPU/media/upu/files/aboutUpu/acts/08-actsAndOtherDecisionsPreviousCongresses/actsAndOtherDecisions2021AbidjanCongressEn.pdf">https://www.upu.int/UPU/media/upu/files/aboutUpu/acts/08-actsAndOtherDecisionsPreviousCongresses/actsAndOtherDecisions2021AbidjanCongressEn.pdf</a>; Decisions of the 
2023 Riyadh Extraordinary Congress, First Additional Protocol to the 
Universal Postal Convention, Article I (Article 17 amended), 
paragraph 2.4 (deleting M-Bags from basic services) (page 27 of the 
PDF), and Article II (Article 18 amended), paragraph 2.9 (adding M-
Bags as an optional supplemental service) (page 28 of the PDF), 
<a href="https://www.upu.int/UPU/media/upu/files/aboutUpu/acts/08-actsAndOtherDecisionsPreviousCongresses/CNG-ACTS%e2%94%80Doc-0-">https://www.upu.int/UPU/media/upu/files/aboutUpu/acts/08-actsAndOtherDecisionsPreviousCongresses/CNG-ACTS%e2%94%80Doc-0-</a>
(5).pdf).
    \3\ Id. at 3 (citing International Mail Manual, Exhibit 261.3, 
Countries for Which M-Bag Service Is Not Available, <a href="https://pe.usps.com/text/imm/immc2_027.htm">https://pe.usps.com/text/imm/immc2_027.htm</a>).
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    Therefore, the Postal Service requests, effective January 17, 2027, 
to remove the outbound M-Bags from MCS section 2330 and to make the 
following accompanying changes to: (1) MCS section 2320, to provide 
additional information about International Priority Airmail M-Bags; (2) 
MCS section 2615.1, to remove the combination of International 
Certificate of Mailing with M-Bags; and (3) Notes in Part D Country 
Price Lists for International Mail. Id.
    The Postal Service includes a copy of Governors' Decision No. 26-4 
supporting the Request in Attachment 1, and a copy of the applicable 
sections of the MCS and the proposed changes in legislative format in 
Attachment 2. Id. at 1-2; id. Attachments 1-2. The Postal Service 
provides supporting justification for the proposed material changes to 
the MCS, including a description of and rationale for the proposed 
changes, why the proposed changes will not result in the violation of 
any of the standards of 39 U.S.C. 3633 and 39 CFR part 3035, and the 
likely impact that the proposed changes will have on users of the 
product and on competitors. See id. at 4-8.

III. Commission Action

    The Commission establishes Docket No. MC2026-356 for consideration 
of matters raised by the Request. The Commission invites comments on 
whether the Postal Service's filing is consistent with 39 U.S.C. 3633 
and 39 CFR 3040.180 and 3040.181. Comments are due September 8, 2026. 
The public portions of the filings can be accessed via the Commission's 
website (<a href="https://www.prc.gov">https://www.prc.gov</a>).
    The Commission appoints Samuel Robinson to represent the interests 
of the general public (Public Representative) in this docket, pursuant 
to 39 CFR 3010.101(q)(3). 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.

IV. Ordering Paragraphs

    It is ordered:
    1. The Commission establishes Docket No. MC2026-356 for 
consideration of matters raised by the Postal Service's Request.
    2. Pursuant to 39 CFR 3010.101(q)(3), Samuel Robinson is appointed 
to serve as an officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to 
represent the interests of the general public in this proceeding.
    3. Comments are due September 8, 2026.
    4. This Order, or an abstract thereof, shall be published in the 
Federal Register.

    By the Commission.
Parvaneh Higareda,
Senior Paralegal Specialist.
[FR Doc. 2026-17444 Filed 8-26-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P


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