Security

The UPU recognizes that the safety and security of the postal sector as part of the global supply chain is critical to supporting worldwide commerce and communication. To facilitate the development and implementation of security standards and best practices among Posts, the UPU has established the Postal Security Group (PSG).

Postal Security Group

Guided by the motto “Postal Security Makes Business Sense”, the Group, made up of security experts, is charged with the development of global and regional security strategies to assist the world’s Posts in their security missions.

Through training initiatives, consultation missions and prevention programmes, the PSG strives to protect the employees, customers and assets of Posts, and to safeguard mails from fraud, theft and misuse.

Mission statement

To establish worldwide postal security, encourage and promote the creation of postal security services in all UPU member countries, and to establish contact and collaborate with international organizations.

PSG priorities

• Prevention of injuries to people due to the carriage of dangerous goods in the mail
• Prevention of loss or theft of mail entrusted to Posts
• Prevention of revenue or asset losses by Posts
• Preservation of customer confidence in the Posts

Training initiatives

Introduction 

The UPU recognizes the impact that individual leadership can have in the promotion of security programmes throughout the world, often requiring time and resources from a UPU member country. The Director General of the UPU International Bureau and the Chair of the Postal Security Group (PSG) wish to formally acknowledge the efforts, experience and exceptional initiative of leaders in this sector, who spearhead security initiatives for the postal community as a whole.

Inaugurated in 2021, the Chair’s Award for Postal Security will open each July and the winner will be presented with a certificate during a scheduled PSG meeting.

Criteria for nomination      Application form     Judging panel ethics and guidelines

Postal Security Group

• Meeting of September 2022
• Meeting of March 2023
• Meeting of August 2023

ICAO-UPU Contact Committee 

• Meeting of October 2022
• Meeting of June 2023

Information Technology Security Experts Panel (ITSEP)

• Meeting of June 2020

List of authorized designated operators 

As designated operators (DOs), national aviation authorities and airlines need to know which Posts have been approved to make ECLB shipments so that they can plan the handling of such shipments, the UPU provides a list of DOs that have been authorized to ship ECLB, including the date from which they have been authorized to make these shipments and other related information.

Posts that have received such authorization are requested to inform the International Bureau by completing the relevant form and returning it via e-mail.

Reporting of dangerous goods incidents and accidents to civil aviation authorities and the UPU

Information on prohibited items can be found in the Customs section.

Guidelines for the enactment of postal criminal laws

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Controlling the introduction of dangerous goods into postal networks

English      French      Arabic      Spanish      Portuguese      Russian 

Do not load (DNL) guidelines

English     French     Arabic     Spanish     Portuguese     Russian

Mail Safety Guidelines

English     French     Arabic     Spanish     Portuguese     Russian

Practical guidance for postal and express couriers on the prevention and interdiction of non-medical synthetic opioids and fentanyls

English     French     Arabic     Spanish     Portuguese     Russian

Contingency planning – Explosive devices in the post

English     French     Arabic     Spanish     Portuguese     Russian

One of the objectives of the Postal Security Group (PSG) is to enhance the security of all operations within the postal sector. The PSG in collaboration with other UPU stakeholders has defined a minimum set of security requirements, which can be applied to all facets of the sector.

Developing measurable standards of security for the postal sector contributes to protecting postal employees and assets; protecting postal items in general; contributing to the security of the mode of transport used to carry mail items and protecting the overall supply chain.

Physical and procedural security standards 

The physical and procedural security standards developed under the auspices of the PSG are applicable to critical facilities in the postal network:

S58

General security measures defining the minimum physical and process security requirements applicable to critical facilities within the postal network 

     English     French     Arabic     Spanish     Portuguese     Russian     

S59

Office of exchange and international airmail security defining minimum requirements for secure operations relating to the transport of international mail 

     English     French     Arabic     Spanish     Portuguese     Russian     

In 2010, the conveyance of explosive materials through courier air transport gave rise to international support for the development of postal security standards consistent with the established guidelines of other cargo transportation agencies for the protection of commerce in the international supply chain.

Methodology

UPU security certification is intended to provide a means to assist member countries in identifying opportunities to improve security, measure DOs’ compliance with UPU security standards S58 and S59, and establish a process to further UPU security strategy objectives to educate, raise awareness and increase the security of all postal sector operations.

Certification procedure

The certification procedure can take place only if the DO applying for certification completes and submits a self-assessment via  security@upu.int. 

Certification levels

The certification system is modelled in alignment with the UPU quality management certification system. The results of the compliance review will determine the certification level demonstrated by security measures successfully implemented within the DO. The primary certification levels are Gold (Level A), Silver (Level B) and Bronze (Level C). The certification has a three-year validity period.  

Level + (Plus): In cases where certification – Level A (Gold), Level B (Silver) or Level C (Bronze) – has been awarded to the office of exchange of a DO exchanging electronic advance data (EAD) with all other DOs requiring EAD, the certified DO may request evaluation for Level + (Plus).

Certification is a way of continually improving security, and can be communicated through the media to customers and the public to raise awareness of DOs' efforts. When a DO receives certification, this shows that it meets or exceeds the mandatory minimum security standards set by the UPU.

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A DO seeking to attain certification must appoint a national certification coordinator/focal point, who is responsible for responding to inquiries for additional information and for assisting in arranging compliance reviews.

Coordinators should ensure that they are familiar with the certification process for UPU security standards S58 and S59, as well as with the standards themselves. 

Certification self-assessment

A certification procedure can be launched only upon submission of a completed self-assessment for each critical facility for which a DO seeks to achieve certification. All required documentation must be current, complete and available for review. 

The self-assessment is intended to assess whether the organizational system implemented by the DO meets the mandatory minimum security requirements.

The assigned DO focal point should request a review directly from the International Bureau by sending an e-mail to the UPU security mailbox at security@upu.int. This request should include a self-assessment report for the critical facility seeking certification, confirmation that all associated documentation is available for review, and photographic evidence of the critical security measures in place within the relevant facility.

English - French - Arabic - Russian - Spanish - Portuguese

Required Documentation

The list of required documentation provides all documents which are necessary for the fulfilment of the certification process. 

English - French - Arabic - Russian - Spanish - Portuguese

Equivalent Certification

In some cases, a DO is obliged to comply with the security requirements of its national legislative or regulatory civil aviation authorities, or of external organizations such as ICAO, IATA and the WCO. The UPU recognizes that these third-party standards (e.g. ICAO’s Regulated Agent and the WCO’s Authorized Economic Operator) may be more rigorous than those set out in S58 and S59, which are considered to be basic standards attainable by all DOs.

If a DO complies with these higher-level security standards and can show that they are equivalent to or exceed S58 and S59 standards, it may be possible for the DO to be accredited with an equivalency recognition of S58 and S59 certification, provided that all security measures have been fully implemented. This serves to facilitate cooperation and harmonize efforts among stakeholders to develop and maintain a secure supply chain system. 

In order for a DO to be recognized as being equivalently certified, the appropriate focal point must complete and submit to the PSG the equivalency assessment workbook, the related required documentation as detailed above, and written justification regarding its adherence to the security requirements of its national legislative or regulatory civil aviation authorities or of external organization such as ICAO and the WCO. All documents must be sent to security@upu.int.

Certified critical facilities

A list of UPU-certified critical facilities and their associated DOs, indicating the year of certification, the level achieved and the start and end dates of the certification validity, is available via the links below.

English - French - Arabic - Russian - Spanish - Portuguese

The SharePoint provides members with updates and information relative to security in the postal supply chain.