New international rates from the U.S. Postal Service will take effect Sunday.
The average increase is 4.3 percent for International Priority Airmail, 4.9 percent for International Surface Air Lift and 7.6 percent for publishers' periodicals. Specific increases for each of the three services vary by weight and rate group.
The new rates are the result of scheduled increases in terminal dues, which are charges paid by postal administrations to each other for the delivery of international mail.
Under the new rates, IPA and ISAL rates retain their piece-plus-pound structure, with per-piece rates realizing the greatest impact. Publishers' Periodicals remain on a per-piece basis.
According to Robert E. Michelson, USPS manager, international marketing, IPA/ISAL per-piece rates would increase from 25 cents to 28 cents for Canada and from 20 cents to 25 cents for industrialized Europe/Israel and Japan, Australia, New Zealand. Per-piece rates for all other rate groups would remain at 12 cents.
