Bhutan
The designated operator of Bhutan, Bhutan Post, informs that the Royal Government of Bhutan has partially lifted the nationwide lockdown, as of 7 September 2020, with the exception of certain areas still considered to present a high risk.
As a result, Bhutan Post is now able to receive, dispatch and deliver domestic and international mail, except in the high-risk areas where movement is still restricted. It may be some time before the situation returns to normal, but Bhutan Post is striving to fulfil its postal obligations despite the challenges presented by limited transport capacity and the restrictions of the COVID-19 protocol implemented to contain the virus.
Bolivia
The designated operator of Bolivia, Agencia Boliviana de Correos, informs that the measures taken to limit the spread of COVID-19 have been lifted, and the force majeure case previously announced has been closed as of 28 August 2020
Comoros
The designated operator of the Comoros, the Société Nationale des Postes et Services Financiers (SNPSF), wishes to inform that commercial flights to the Comoros officially resumed as from 7 September 2020. Flights are now being operated by Kenya Airways, Air Tanzania, Ethiopian Airlines and Air Madagascar.
Consequently, the SNPSF is again able to accept all categories of outbound postal items (letter post, parcel post and EMS) to all destinations, and it asks designated operators that have direct exchanges with the Comoros to take all necessary steps to receive and process its dispatches from 15 September 2020 onwards, in accordance with the partnership agreements in place.
Moreover, the SNPSF is continuing to accept incoming items in all categories and is able to deliver them without any restrictions.
Honduras
The designated operator of Honduras, Empresa de Correos de Honduras (Honducor), informs that the entire territory of Honduras will remain in lockdown until 20 September 2020 (or a later date to be communicated in due course).
To minimize human contact and protect its workers, in line with government advice, Honducor is not yet able to admit international mail at any of the country’s land and sea borders, or at Ramon Villeda Morales Airport in San Pedro Sula and Toncontin Airport in Tegucigalpa). It therefore asks countries that would usually send their mail to Honduras by air cargo or commercial flights not to do so for the time being; otherwise the mails will need to be stored in customs warehouses, generating significant extra costs.
Consequently, modified operating hours will continue to apply across the postal network, with an impact on mail sorting, distribution and delivery, as well as timely provision of EDI messages and replies to online customer inquiries.
Hong Kong, China
The designated operator of Hong Kong, China, Hongkong Post, informs that the measures taken to limit the spread of COVID-19 have been lifted and the force majeure situation previously announced is closed as of 15 September 2020.
Israel
The designated operator of Israel, Israel Postal Company, would like to inform that, owing to the increasing number of people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Israel and the country’s health authorities have declared a general lockdown for the whole country. This will come into effect on 18 September 2020, and last until 11 October 2020.
In due course, the authorities will assess the situation and decide on the possible extension or easing of the lockdown. Israel Post will update member countries and designated operators accordingly.
During the lockdown, movements of people outside their homes will be restricted throughout the country, as will commercial activities, entailing the closure of shops and some other businesses.
Postal services will continue to function with restrictions, including closure of delivery points in shops, reduced working hours in post offices, and reduction of the workforce to minimize contacts between people. Items normally requiring the addressee’s signature upon delivery will be handed over without signature.
All these measures will affect the processing and delivery of all types of services, including outbound and inbound letter post, parcel post and EMS, with an impact on quality of service.
The restrictions set out in previous incident Bulletin messages regarding service standards and application of force majeure remain in place.
Jamaica
The designated operator of Jamaica, Jamaica Post, wishes to inform other Union member countries and their designated operators that the Government of Jamaica has extended the national curfew until 23 September 2020, from 20.00 each evening to 5.00 the following morning, in order to mitigate the resurgence of the coronavirus (COVID-19) throughout Jamaica.
As a result, revised working hours continue to apply across the entire postal network. This will continue to have an impact on sorting operations, mail delivery and the dispatch of mail vans, as well as the timely provision of EDI messaging updates and responses to online customer inquiries.
The force majeure situation previously announced continues to apply, with an impact on quality of service for all types of mail, including inbound and outbound letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items.
Japan
The designated operator of Japan, Japan Post, informs that it has resumed outbound international postal services for certain destinations. However, the acceptance of mail destined for many countries and territories remains suspended, in cases where the designated operators concerned are still not accepting inbound international postal items or reduced or cancelled flights to and from Japan result in insufficient transport capacity.
Japan Post regularly updates the list of countries and territories for which acceptance of mail is suspended. Detailed information is provided on the Japan Post website at www.post.japanpost.jp/int/
Japan Post would also like to remind designated operators that it will be unable to accept transit operations for those countries and territories indicated with “X: Not Acceptable” on the above-mentioned list until sufficient transport capacity becomes available.
Lithuania
Please note that Lithuania post will relocate its international OE (LTVNOA and LTVNOB) to new premises on 2020 Sep 18/19. The only thing that will change is location/address, no other changes in terms of working time, acceptance of dispatches, etc.
The relocation schedule will be as follows (local time, GMT+3):
2020-09-18, Friday - old OE is closing from 19:00;
2020-09-19, Saturday – new OE is opening from 19:00;
During the relocation, for 24 hours from 2020 Sep 18 Friday 19:00 until 2019 Sep 19 Saturday 19:00 Lithuania post will not be able to accept inbound items coming by road transport.
Address of Lithuania Post‘s new OE:
Lithuania Post
Vilnius Logistics Center
Metalo g. 5, Vilnius
LT-02190, Lithuania
Coordinates: 54°38'32.2"N 25°15'55.8"E
Google maps link: https://g.page/pasto-
Malawi
The designated operator of Malawi, Malawi Post Corporation (MPC), informs that, following the reopening of the airport and thanks to slight improvements in transport, it is now able to resume inbound and outbound international mail operations.
At present, Malawi Post is able to send all types of mail to the following destinations, in limited quantities: Belgium, China (People's Rep.), Denmark, Ethiopia, Germany, Hong Kong (China), India, Ireland, Japan, Switzerland, Tanzania (United Rep.), the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe.
Nepal
The Government of Nepal has lifted the suspension on incoming international flights with effect from 1 September 2020. Airlines can now operate international flights to Kathmandu in compliance with the procedures established by the Government. The suspension on domestic flights and long-distance public transport has also been lifted, with effect from 17 September 2020.
As a result, Nepal Post is once again able to deliver mail throughout the country, despite restrictions imposed by certain local authorities. It is still unable to accept outbound mail, until such time as the passenger flights on which mail is transported are resumed.
Panama
The designated operator of Panama (Rep.), Correos de Panamá, informs that, owing to the new measures taken by the Government of Panama (through the Civil Aviation Authority) in Resolution 133 of Wednesday, 19 August 2020 as part of the public health measures taken to limit the spread of COVID-19, the suspension of inbound and outbound international flights has been extended until mid-October 2020 and the airlines are not transporting international mail dispatches until further notice.
In this connection, Correos de Panamá wishes to inform that transit services will also continue to be suspended for all categories of mail item (letter post, small packets, parcels and EMS).
Correos de Panamá has liaised with the various mail handling companies and the airlines at the airport, in order to ascertain whether postal cargo destined for Panama is being stored at airport depots for handover to Correos de Panamá. Some of these companies have responded by handing over mail dispatches held in storage, which are being delivered by Correos de Panamá.
For the above reasons, Correos de Panamá is unable to guarantee inbound and outbound mail quality standards and is invoking a situation of force majeure with regard to quality of service and remuneration for all categories of mail item (letter post, small packets, parcels and EMS) as applicable and until further notice.
It should be noted that the postal network and domestic and international operational centers have continued to function without interruption, and that, since 21 July 2020, working hours and customer acceptance hours have been extended from Monday to Friday and minimum staffing levels have been maintained. Correos de Panamá’s administrative offices are working from Monday to Friday from 8.00 to 16.00, in accordance with the standards established by the Ministry of Health in response to COVID-19.
Poland
The designated operator of Poland, Poczta Polska, wishes to inform that the measures aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 are still in force in Poland, and will continue to affect its services.
International air traffic remains open, but operations are still limited to a few airlines at the international airport in Warsaw. Poland is accepting mail to a reduced number of destinations only: Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovia, Brazil, Bulgaria (Rep.), China (People’s Rep.), Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Rep., Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong (China), Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Moldova, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, United Kingdom, and United States of America.
Poczta Polska will continue to do its utmost to develop its cooperation with other countries as far as possible.
Spain
This is just to inform that, as a result of the improvements regarding transport capacity, and thanks to the resumption of flights from and to Spain, some destinations whose acceptance was closed has been again reopen. Therefore, Correos is currently able to send mail (letter-post, parcel-post), parcels and EMS to a majority of countries with which routes are open. Nevertheless, Correos cannot accept letter-post and parcel-post items for those destinations to which transport capacities are unavailable. The acceptance of mail remains closed for the following destinations (countries and territories): AMERICAN SAMOA, ANGUILLA, ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, ARUBA, ASCENSION, AUSTRALIA, BAHAMAS, BARBADOS, BELIZE, BERMUDA, BHUTAN, BOLIVIA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, BRUNEI DARUSSALAM, CAMBODIA, CAPE VERDE, CARIBBEAN PART OF THE NETHERLANDS, CAYMAN ISLANDS, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, CHAD, COMOROS, COOK ISLANDS, CUBA, CURAÇAO, DOMINICA, ECUADOR , EL SALVADOR, ESWATINI, FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA, FIJI, FRENCH GUIANA, FRENCH POLYNESIA, FRENCH SOUTHERN AND ANTARCTIC TERRITORIES, GAMBIA, GRENADA, GUATEMALA, GUINEA, GUINEA BISSAU, GUYANA, HAITI, HONDURAS (REP.), IRAN (ISLAMIC REP.), JAMAICA, JERSEY, KIRIBATI, KUWAIT, LAO PEOPLE’S DEM. REP., MARTINIQUE, MAURITIUS, MAYOTTE, MONACO, MONGOLIA, MYANMAR, NAURU, NEPAL, NEW CALEDONIA, NICARAGUA, PALAU, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, REUNION, SAINT HELENA, SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS, SAINT LUCIA, SAINT PIERRE AND MIQUELON, SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES, SAMOA, SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE, SEYCHELLES, SIERRA LEONE, SINT MAARTEN, SOLOMON ISLANDS, SOMALIA, SOUTH SUDAN, STATE OF LIBYA, SURINAME, SYRIAN ARAB REP., TIMOR-LESTE (DEM. REP.), TONGA, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, TRISTAN DE CUNHA, TURKMENISTAN, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, TUVALU, UNITED STATES VIRGIN ISLANDS, VANUATU, VENEZUELA (BOLIVARIAN REP.).
Given the uncertainty of the health situation, and continuing problems with regard to the capacity, frequency and regularity of international flights, it has not been possible to expand the list of postal operators from which mail can be accepted to any significant extent.
Correos does not accept letter-post or parcel-post items for destinations to which no transport capacity is available. The evolution of the health crisis in the coming months may also mean that acceptance of items for some destinations currently open will need to be suspended again.
In view of the ongoing crisis and continuing problems in relation to international flights, the force majeure situation previously declared remains in force. This will continue to have a major impact on operations and, consequently, Correos remains unable, until further notice, to guarantee quality of service for all types of inbound and outbound mail (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items) and to comply with delivery standards for items with signature under UPU regulations or bilateral or multilateral agreements signed with other designated postal operators.