Australia

Start date: 31 August 2022
End date: 21 November 2022
Incident: resumption of sea mail services at AUSYDE IMPC

Further to Incident Bulletin 02.09.2022, the designated operator of Australia, Australia Post, wishes to inform that inbound operations at its Sydney sea mail office of exchange (IMPC code: AUSYDE) have resumed with effect from 21 November 2022. Therefore, sea mail can once again be sent to Sydney from 21 November 2022. All items containing goods sent to Australia must be accompanied by electronic advance data (EAD). Designated operators wishing to send sea mail items to Sydney must contact Australia Post for confirmation of acceptance, prior to the dispatch of items.

Australia Post also wishes to remind other designated operators of the rules governing the import into Australia of articles containing tobacco, drugs and narcotics, as set out in International Bureau circular 149 of 19 September 2022. Australia Post requests the assistance of other designated operators to ensure that customers do not lodge items containing prohibited items destined for Australia, unless they are products exempt from the requirements.
 

United Kingdom

Start date: August 2022
End date: ongoing
Incident: update on strikes

Further to incident bulletins 14.10.2022 and 28.10.2022, the designated operator of the United Kingdom, Royal Mail, wishes to provide with updated information concerning 24-hour postal strikes in November and December 2022. The strikes will affect postal services on the following dates:

  • Thursday, 24 November;  

  • Friday, 25 November;

  • Wednesday, 30 November;

  • Thursday, 1 December.    

Royal Mail will implement extensive contingency plans (as follows) to minimize disruption during the industrial action and will continue to do all it can to support customers as far as possible:  

  • All mails for the UK should continue to be sent as normal. For inbound air services, the London Air Mail Unit will be operational and will continue to accept and process all inbound arrivals. For inbound road services, the International Logistics Centre (ILC), the Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre (HWDC) and Parcelforce Worldwide’s Coventry International Hub will all remain open and be fully operational;

  • Each of these sites will continue to carry out customs clearance and processing activities as usual. The UK’s delivery operations will be affected on days when strike action is taking place. Despite the contingency plans, it will not be possible to replace the daily efforts of the entire frontline workforce. Royal Mail will do what it can to keep services running, but there will be significant disruption on the days of the strikes;

  • All Union member countries and designated operators should therefore expect to see some delays in items sent for delivery in the UK;

  • With regard to exports from the UK, all Union member countries and designated operators will continue to receive export mails from Royal Mail Group, including Parcelforce, as usual. Export volumes may temporarily be lower, but arrivals will continue as normal.
     

Please visit www.royalmail.com/latest-news for up-to-date and detailed information on services.