Express mail

In most postal systems express mail refers to an accelerated delivery service for which the customer pays a surcharge and receives faster delivery. Express mail is a service for domestic mail and is in most countries governed by a country's own postal administration. Since 1998 the international accelerated delivery services are governed by the EMS Cooperative.

Express Mail Service and the EMS Cooperative

File:Emslogo.png

Express Mail Service (EMS) service logo

Express Mail Service (EMS) is an international express postal service offered by postal-administration members of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). These administrators created the EMS Cooperative in 1998 within the framework of the UPU to promote the harmonization and development of postal services worldwide. As of July 2006, EMS is offered by 154 of the 191 UPU member countries' postal authorities^[1] as part of their normal postal services. Seven additional countries have arrangements to deliver EMS items.

An independent auditor measures the express delivery performance of all international EMS operators. EMS Performance Awards are based on postal operator's performance, including service performance and tracking. Gold, Silver, or Bronze certificate are awarded to EMS Cooperative members depending on their yearly performance. These EMS award winners are recorded in the EMS Cooperative's Hall of Fame.^[2]

EMS Cooperative members

Since its creation, 169 postal administrations have joined the EMS Cooperative, representing over 82% of EMS operators worldwide.^[3]

EMS member	Operator name
Afghanistan	Afghan Post - Expresspost (EMS)
Albania	Albanian Post sh.a - EMS Service
Algeria	Algerie Post - E.M.S Service champion-poste
Angola	Correios de Angola - EMS
Anguilla	Anguilla Postal Service - EMS
Antigua and Barbuda	Antigua and Barbuda Post
Argentina	Correo Argentino - EMS
Armenia	Haypost - EMS Armenia
Aruba	Post Aruba - EMS
Australia	Australia Post – Express Courier International
Austria*	Oesterreichische Post AG
Azerbaijan	EMS Azerexpresspost
Bahamas	Bahamas Postal Service - EMS
Bangladesh	Bangladesh Post - EMS
Barbados	Barbados Post
Belarus	RUE "Belpochta" - EMS Belarus
Belgium	Taxipost s.a.
Belize	Belize Postal Service
Benin	Benin Post
Bermuda	International Data Express – Bermuda
Bhutan	Bhutan Post Express Mail Service
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Public Enterprise BH Post
Botswana	Botswana Post – EMS
Brazil	Correios do Brasil
Brunei Darussalam	Brunei Darussalam Postal Services
Bulgaria	EMS / BULPOST
Burkina Faso	Sonopost - Burkina Faso
Burundi	EMS Burundi
Cameroon	EMS Course Cameroun - EMS
Canada	Xpresspost – Canada Post
Cape Verde	Poste Du Cap Vert
Cayman Islands	Cayman Islands Postal Service
Central African Republic	Central African EMS
Chad	EMS-Tchad
Chile	Correos Chile - EMS
China, People's Republic	China Postal Express&Logistics Corporation
Colombia	EMS International
Comoros	Societé Nationale des Postes et des Services Financiers
Republic of the Congo	Congo EMS
Costa Rica	Correos de Costa Rica
Croatia	Croatian Post – EMS
Cuba	Correos de Cuba
Cyprus	EMS/Datapost Cyprus Post
Czech Republic	Czech Post State Enterprise
Democratic Republic of the Congo	EMS Congo CD
Denmark*	Post Danmark
Djibouti	La Poste de Djibouti
Dominica	Dominica Post
Dominican Republic	INPOSDOM – Instituto Postal Dominicano - EMS
Ecuador	Ecuador EMS
Egypt	Egypt Post - Express Mail (EMS)
El Salvador	EMS El Salvador Post
Equatorial Guinea	Equatorial Guinea Post
Eritrea	EMS – Eritrean Postal Service
Estonia	Estonian Post Ltd - Express Mail Service
Ethiopia	EMS – Ethiopian Postal Service
Fiji	Post Fiji Ltd.
Finland	Itella Corporation
France	La Poste - Chronopost
Gabon	EMS Delta+
Gambia	EMS Gambia
Georgia	Georgian International EMS
Germany*	Deutsche Post
Ghana	Ghana Post
Gibraltar .	Royal Gibraltar Post Office
Greece	Tachymetaphores ELTA S.A.
Grenada	Grenada Postal Corporation
Guinea	Guinea Post
Guyana	Guyana Postal Corporation
Hong Kong	Hongkong Post - Speedpost
Hungary	Magyar Posta Zrt.
India	India Post - EMS Speed Post
Indonesia	PT Pos Indonesia (Ltd) - EMS
Iran	Pishtaz Post
Iraq	Iraq Post
Ireland	An Post
Israel	Israel Postal Company Ltd. - EMS
Italy	Post Italiane - EMS
Jamaica	Jamaica Post - International Express Mail (EMS)
Japan	Japan Post
Jordan	Jordan Post Company - EMS
Kazakhstan	EMS Kazpost
Kenya	Postal Corporation of Kenya
Korea, South	Korea Post EMS
Kuwait	Kuwait Post
Kyrgyzstan	Kyrgyzstan Post
Laos	Lao Express
Latvia	Latvia Post - Express
Lesotho	Lesotho Post
Libya	Libyan Jamahiriya Post
Lithuania	Lithuania Post
Macao	Macao Post
Macedonia	Express Mail Service - Macedonia Post
Madagascar	EMS Mailaka
Malawi	EMS Malawi
Malaysia	EMS - Poslaju Malaysia
Maldives	Maldives Post
Mali	EMS/Mali
Malta	Malta Post EMS
Mauritania	MAURIPOST – Société Mauritanienne des Postes
Mauritius	Mauritius Post Ltd.
Mexico	Mexico EMS
Moldova	EMS Moldova
Mongolia	Mongol Postt
Montenegro	Posta Crne Gore
Morocco	EMS Chronopost International Maroc
Mozambique	EMS Mozambique
Myanmar	Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications
Namibia	Namibia Post Limited
Netherlands*	PostNL B.V.
Netherlands Antilles	Post Netherlands Antilles - Expresspost
New Zealand	New Zealand Post Limited
Nicaragua	Correos de Nicaragua
Niger	EMS Chronopost Niger
Nigeria	NIPOST/ EMS Nigeria
Norway*	Posten Norge AS
Pakistan	Pakistan Express Post
Panama	Correos de Panamá
Papua New Guinea	Post PNG
Paraguay	Correo Nacional Paraguayo - EMS
Peru	Serpost - Express Mail Serice
Philippines	Phil Post - international Express Mail Service
Poland	Polish Post SA
Portugal	CTT Expresso
Romania	Posta Rapida (division of C.N. Posta Romana S.A.)
Russian Federation	EMS Russian Post – Subsidiary of FSUE Russian Post
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Express Mail Service
Saint Lucia	Saint Lucia Postal Service - EMS
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Post
Samoa	Samoapost Company Limited
Sao Tome and Principe	São Tomé and Príncipe Post
Saudi Arabia	Saudi Post
Senegal	EMS Senegal
Serbia	Pošta Srbije
Sierra Leone	SALPOST
Singapore	Singapore Post Limited
Slovakia	Slposta
Slovenia	Pošta Slovenije, d.o.o.
Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands Post
South Africa	EMS South Africa
Spain	Postal Express Internacional (EMS)
Sri Lanka	EMS Speed Post – Sri Lanka
Sudan	Poste Rapide EMS
Sweden	Posten AB
Switzerland*	Swiss Post International
Syria	Syrian Post
Tanzania	E.M.S. Tanzania
Thailand	Thailand Post EMS
Togo	EMS Togo
Trinidad and Tobago	Trinidad and Tobago Postal Corporation (TTPOSA)
Tunisia	Rapid-Poste Tunisia
Turkey	Turkish Post (PTT)
Turkmenistan	Turkmen Post
Uganda	Uganda Post
Ukraine	EMS Ukraine
United Arab Emirates	Emirates Post - Mumtaz Post EMS
United Kingdom	Parcelforce
United States of America	United States Postal Service/EMS
Uruguay	Correo Uruguayo
Uzbekistan	EMS Falcon
Vanuatu	Vanuatu Post - EMS
Venezuela	Venezuela EMS
Vietnam	Vietnam Express Mail Service Company
Yemen	Yemen Post EMS
Zambia	EMS Zambia
Zimbabwe	EMS Zimpost

* Provisional member

Express Mail in the United States and Express Mail International

The United States Postal Service (USPS) provides Express Mail for domestic U.S. delivery, and offers two Express Mail services, although only one of them is part of the EMS standard. One is simply called Express Mail International^[4] and the other service is called Global Express Guaranteed(GXG).^[5] The latter having no relation whatsoever to "EMS" International service as provided by the EMS Cooperative.

The USPS Global Express Guaranteed (GXG),^[6] by which USPS offices act as drop locations for international packages which are then handled by FedEx international delivery network. It should be noted that in some countries, import rules for packages received by courier services have different tax brackets and duties than parcels received on the postal system, and thus ^[7] EMS service (Express Mail International) is preferred over FedEx's co-branded Global Express Guaranteed.

These two USPS International Mail terms, Express Mail International and Global Express Guaranteed are often confused with their domestic service called Express Mail, which is a specific classification of mail for domestic accelerated postal delivery within the U.S.

History

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Special Delivery, a domestic accelerated delivery service, was introduced on 3 March 1885 initially with a fee of 10¢ paid by a Special Delivery stamp. It has been transformed into Express Mail, which was introduced in 1977 after an experimental period that started in 1970,^[8] though Special Delivery was not terminated until June 8, 1997.^[9]

Modern USPS Domestic Delivery Express Mail And International Express Mail Delivery

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Express Mail is an accelerated domestic mail delivery service operated by the United States Postal Service. It is able to provide overnight delivery to most locations within the continental United States and guaranteed delivery within 2 days. Unlike most other USPS delivery options which provide only delivery confirmation, Express Mail provides accurate, up-to-date tracking information, and insurance up to $100. Items shipped using this service can be delivered within the 48 contiguous United States and the Washington, D.C. within 1 to 2 business days. Packages sent to Canada, Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii frequently require up to 2 additional business days.

Express Mail deliver 365 days a year, including Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. Sunday/Holiday incurs a charge of $12.50 in addition to standard rate.^[10] Unlike Priority Mail and First Class Mail, USPS provides real-time tracking information online and by phone for Express Mail shipments.

Global Express Guaranteed(GXG) service is an international expedited delivery service provided through an alliance with FedEx Corporation. It provides reliable, high–speed, guaranteed, and time–definite service from selected Post Office facilities in the United States to a large number of international destinations. (See Countries and Cities Served Section of Publication 141, Global Express Guaranteed Service Guide, for destination service commitments.) Global Express Guaranteed delivery service is guaranteed to meet the specified service standards or the postage paid may be refunded. For almost all network destinations, liability insurance is provided for lost or damaged shipments.

Other private express carriers guarantee overnight or 2-day delivery by as early as 8:30 or 10:30 AM. Express Mail also conveys other benefits under specific circumstances; U.S. patent applications and related documents transmitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office via USPS Express Mail carry the postmark date as the date of patent priority, so long as each document is mailed along with a signed certificate of mailing bearing the Express Mail tracking number of the mailing label.

Other express mail providers

Many transportation logistics firms offer similar accelerated services. UPS, DHL and FedEx are the most popular alternatives. Those carriers offer even faster delivery with their early morning delivery services.

References

^ [1] (retrieved March 1, 2010)
^ EMS Hall of Fame (retrieved March 1, 2010)
^ Members of the EMS Cooperative (retrieved December 16, 2011)
^ Express Mail International International Mail Manual – Issue 35 (retrieved April 10, 2008)
^ USPS Global Express Guaranteed International Mail Manual – Issue 35 (retrieved April 10, 2008)
^ [2] is a co-branded service, part of an agreement between the USPS and FedEx
^ Why can't Amazon.com ship by USPS EMS?>
^ "Significant Dates in Postal History". Postal History. USPS. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
^ "U.S. Postal Service – Summary statistics – USA Census numbers". allcountries.org. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
^ "EM Sunday Holiday Premium" (PDF). USPS. Retrieved 2012-03-23.

External links

[1] [1] (retrieved March 1, 2010)

[2] EMS Hall of Fame (retrieved March 1, 2010)

[3] Members of the EMS Cooperative (retrieved December 16, 2011)

[4] Express Mail International International Mail Manual – Issue 35 (retrieved April 10, 2008)

[5] USPS Global Express Guaranteed International Mail Manual – Issue 35 (retrieved April 10, 2008)

[6] [2] is a co-branded service, part of an agreement between the USPS and FedEx

[7] Why can't Amazon.com ship by USPS EMS?>

[8] "Significant Dates in Postal History". Postal History. USPS. Retrieved 2010-10-01.

[9] "U.S. Postal Service – Summary statistics – USA Census numbers". allcountries.org. Retrieved 2010-10-01.

[10] "EM Sunday Holiday Premium" (PDF). USPS. Retrieved 2012-03-23.

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