𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝘆 𝗖𝗟𝗦: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗣𝗨 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗼/𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿. 𝗔𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗨𝗣𝗨 𝗖𝗖 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝘇𝗲𝗸: 𝗣𝗮𝗿

Q: When you were in Brussels earlier this Hashtag#month, representing the Hashtag#UPU Consultative Committee (Hashtag#CC), you emphasized that cooperation between the UPU CC and organizations such as Hashtag#TIACA (The International Air Cargo Association) would make a lot of sense. Why?

WT:  The UPU is a Hashtag#UN specialized agency responsible for the Hashtag#postal sector as a whole. As the postal market has changed, so has the UPU. The UPU has become the unifier of Hashtag#networks and Hashtag#solutions for the Hashtag#exchange of postal items globally, and in many countries and Hashtag#regions (such as the EU) this includes express Hashtag#consignments. The Hashtag#delivery of Hashtag#B2C supplies and mandatory exchange of data in advance (Hashtag#EAD) impacts the entire Hashtag#supplychain – Hashtag#freight and Hashtag#transport are at the core of the supply chain, and of cross-border Hashtag#ecommerce.

Q: The UPU seamlessly connects three sectors: the Hashtag#producers of goods, Hashtag#transport companies, and the designated postal operators (Hashtag#DO). This can only work when the data exchange between postal operators and private or semi-public players such as Hashtag#trucking companies or Hashtag#airlines, functions smoothly. This should be the case by 2026. What are the specific Hashtag#challenges for the postal sector, and what is the status of your Hashtag#dataexchange program?

WT: The UPU has taken the Hashtag#globalleadership in unifying electronic Hashtag#dataexchange, working in close Hashtag#collaboration with the World Customs Organization (Hashtag#WCO). This collaboration was re-confirmed in the WCO / UPU Tokyo declaration earlier this year.

As early as January 1, 2021, it became mandatory to exchange data in advance on postal items containing Hashtag#goods/merchandise prior to Hashtag#shipping cross-border between the postal operator at origin and at destination worldwide. So, generally speaking, all the necessary Hashtag#data exists.

The main challenge for the postal sector has been that it is based on collaboration between a DO in the country of origin of the goods (exporting country) and the DO in the country of destination which is responsible for Hashtag#customsclearance and Hashtag#lastmiledelivery.

Cross-border Hashtag#transportation (known as the “middle mile” or “2nd Leg”) has traditionally been the weak point, as this is where consignments have left and re-entered the postal channel and the postal world’s previously closed Hashtag#IT systems.

(𝘛𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦𝘥)