US Announces Withdraw From Postal Treaty
Interesting, on October 15 the USPS OIG release a redacted copy of report SAT-AR-18-002, "Use of Postal Service Network to Facilitate Illicit Drug Distribution"[1], which commented on the Universal Postal Union requiring the USPS to accept all international mail from UPU members[2] (basically everyone) that don't want to comply with the US requirement of Advance Electronic Data (basically Secure Flight for mail/packages, the idea is that CBP can identify suspected drug packages just as they do passenger flights, as mail can only be screened without a warrant by CBP at the mail port of entry). Footnote 25 notes that as recently as September 1 of this year, the US moved to require AED on packages sent through UPU's EMS program[3], the partially redacted next sentence appears to indicate that some countries pushed back or had plans not to comply.<p>Sent in a FOIA for the report, so we'll see what exceptions they were claiming, if they actually claim it as non-disclosable under FOIA law. Also interesting that the WHPSEC statement[3] notes that Trump is willing to abandon plans to leave if unspecified goals are met in negotiations.<p>Edit: A conservative think tank recently complained about the UPU and drugs as well: <a href="https://www.aei.org/multimedia/universal-postal-union-and-mail-order-opiates-viewpoint/" rel="nofollow">https://www.aei.org/multimedia/universal-postal-union-and-ma...</a><p>[1] <a href="https://www.uspsoig.gov/sites/default/files/document-library-files/2018/SAT-AR-18-002.pdf" rel="nofollow">https://www.uspsoig.gov/sites/default/files/document-library...</a>
[2] <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Universal_Postal_Union_membership.png" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Universal_Postal_Union_me...</a>
[3] <a href="https://www.ems.post/en/about-us-contacts/about-us" rel="nofollow">https://www.ems.post/en/about-us-contacts/about-us</a>
[4] <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/statement-press-secretary-38/" rel="nofollow">https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/statement-pr...</a>