NOTE: COMMENTS REGARDING ANY FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE MUST BE SENT TO THE ADDRESS INDICATED IN THE DOCUMENT. ANY COMMENTS ON THE RAPID INFORMATION BULLETIN BOARD SYSTEM (RIBBS) ABOUT ANY FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES WILL NOT BE USED OR CONSIDERED IN THE COURSE OF ANY RULE MAKING. [Federal Register: February 10, 1995] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTAL SERVICE 39 CFR Part 20 Discontinuation of Authorization to Use Domestic Postal Money Orders Internationally AGENCY: Postal Service. ACTION: Final rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Postal Service is discontinuing the Semidomestic Money Order Service. The domestic money order form is no longer being used for payments to Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; British Virgin Islands; Canada; Dominica; Grenada; Jamaica; Montserrat; St. Christopher and Nevis; St. Lucia; St. Vincent and the Grenadines; and Trinidad and Tobago. In place of the domestic form, the Postal Service will use the international postal money order form (MP1) when issuing a money order for payment in these countries. EFFECTIVE DATE: March 1, 1995. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Al Gillum, (703) 905-3818. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Postal Service has received numerous complaints from foreign postal administrations regarding the acceptance of domestic postal money orders by the banking system in those countries. This practice circumvents the policies and procedures regarding the acceptance of international postal money orders agreed to within the Universal Postal Union. The Postal Service is committed to enforcing the agreements with its foreign partners. A concerted effort is being made to restrict the negotiation of domestic postal money orders to the United States and its possessions and territories, and the Freely Associated States (FAS). Possessions and territories are American Samoa (including Manua Island, Swain's Island, Tutuila Island); Baker Island; Guam; Howland Island; Jarvis Island; Johnston Island; Kingman Reef; Midway Island; Navassa Island; Northern Mariana Islands (including Rota Island; Saipan Island, Tinian Island); Palmyra Island; Puerto Rico; Sand Island; U.S. Virgin Islands (including St. Croix Island; St. John Island, St. Thomas Island); and Wake Island. The FAS are Marshall Islands (including Ebeye Island, Majuro Island); Palau (including Koror Island); and Micronesia (including Chuuk (Truk) Island, Kosrae Island, Pohnepi Island, Yap Island). Semidomestic Money Order Service permits the negotiation of domestic postal money orders in the countries listed in the Summary. In order to restrict uniformly the negotiation of domestic postal money orders to the United States and its possessions and territories and to the FAS, it is necessary to discontinue Semidomestic Money Order Service. In light of the foregoing, the Postal Service hereby adopts the following amendments to the International Mail Manual, which is incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations. See 39 CFR 20.1. List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 20 Foreign relations, International postal service. PART 20--[AMENDED] 1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 20 continues to read as follows: Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 401, 404, 407, 408. 2. Chapter 3 of the International Mail Manual is amended by revising subchapter 390 as follows: CHAPTER 3--SPECIAL SERVICES * * * * * 390 Supplementary Services 391 International Money Orders * * * * * [Revise section 391.11 by deleting ``and Semi-Direct Service'' to read as follows:] International postal money order service is available to transfer funds to individuals or firms in countries that have entered into agreements with the United States Postal Service for the exchange of postal money orders. International postal money orders sent by Direct Service may be sent by letter mail or Express Mail International Service (EMS). * * * * * [Revise section 391.2 by replacing ``three'' in the first sentence with ``two''; by deleting section 391.2a in its entirety and renumbering sections 391.2b and 391.2c to sections 391.2a and 391.2b, respectively; and by adding the countries in the Summary to the renumbered section 391.2b to read as follows:] Postal money orders are exchanged with countries in one of two ways: a. Standard international postal money orders. This method uses the Authorization to Issue an International Money Order form set. See Individual Country Listings. b. Direct international postal money orders. This method uses the pink international postal money order form (MP1). The following countries accept this form: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Japan, Mali, Mexico, Montserrat, Nigeria, Panama, St. Christopher and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, and Trinidad and Tobago. Money orders issued by these countries in U.S. dollars, with the exception of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, are negotiable in the United States. There will be no money orders issued in Bolivia, Cape Verde, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Nigeria, Panama, and Sierra Leone for payment in the United States. The MP1 cards issued in Japan for payment in the United States must be shown in U.S. dollars preceded by the capital letters ``USD.'' Money orders issued in Mali for payment in the United States will be the standard international postal money order. [Revise section 391.3 by replacing ``three'' with ``two'' in the first sentence; by deleting section 391.3a in its entirety and renumbering section 391.3c to section 391.3a; and by adding the countries in the Summary to the renumbered section 391.3a to read as follows:] There are two separate fees for international money orders: a. The fee for money orders payable in countries that accept the pink international postal money order form (MP1) is $3 per money order. These countries are: Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Belize Bolivia British Virgin Islands Canada Cape Verde Costa Rica Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Grenada Guyana Honduras Jamaica Japan Mali Mexico Montserrat Nigeria Panama St. Christopher and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sierra Leone Trinidad and Tobago * * * * * [Delete section 391.411 in its entirety.] [Renumber former section 391.412 as 391.411.] [Renumber former section 391.413 as 391.412 and add the countries in the Summary to read as follows:] Use the pink international money order form (MP1) for money orders payable in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Japan, Mali, Mexico, Montserrat, Nigeria, Panama, St. Christopher and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, and Trinidad and Tobago. Follow the issuance procedures in DMM S020. Note: Money orders payable in Canada, the amount of the money order must be expressed in U.S. currency only. Issuing clerks must use the money order imprinter in the usual manner, printing the amount received in U.S. currency. Clerks must not write the word ``Canadian,'' followed by the equivalent amount in Canadian currency, on the money order. * * * * * [Revise section 391.421 by deleting ``the domestic money order or'' from the first sentence to read as follows:] When the international postal money order form (MP1) is used to send funds, the purchaser should complete the information requested on both the money order and the customer's receipt. The Postal Service is not liable for money orders that are lost before the purchaser completes this information. Money orders may be made payable to the purchaser, a person or a firm, or a payee by official title. (Example: Director of Publications, Canada.) * * * * * [Revise section 391.423 by deleting country names to read as follows:] Follow the instructions for preparing domestic money orders in DMM S020 when using the pink international postal money order form (MP1). * * * * * [Revise section 391.431 by deleting ``Domestic Postal Money Orders and'' from the title and by deleting country names to read as follows:] 391.431 International Postal Money Order Form (MP1) Follow the instructions for preparing domestic money orders in DMM S020 when issuing the pink international postal money order form (MP1). * * * * * [Delete section 391.721 in its entirety.] [Renumber former section 391.722 to 391.721.] [Revise former section 391.723 by renumbering to section 391.722 and by deleting country names to read as follows:] Use Form 6401, Domestic Money Order Inquiry, in accordance with DMM S020.2.14 when filing inquiries or requests for replacement of international postal money order form (MP1). Only the purchaser may file and receive payment. Replacement will not be made before 6 months after the date of issuance. * * * * * [Delete sections 391.9, 391.91, and 391.92 in their entirety.] * * * * * A transmittal letter making the changes in the pages of the International Mail Manual will be published and transmitted to subscribers automatically. Notice of issuance of the transmittal letter will be published in the Federal Register as provided by 39 CFR 20.3. Stanley F. Mires, Chief Counsel, Legislative. [FR Doc. 95-3433 Filed 2-9-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7710-12-P