Here you will find the latest UK & global mail service updates and a list of upcoming worldwide public holidays. This is updated throughout the week with latest information available.
UK Service Updates
We are currently experiencing no collection issues with regards to UK mail or parcel delivery but in some instances we have experienced delays to the processing and/or delivery of UK mailings as a result of high volumes in the network and COVID measures that have been in place by Royal Mail and other UK suppliers. We will update accordingly should the situation change and you can also access the latest UK service updates from Royal Mail here.
NB. Royal Mail have made some changes to how they hand over both Special Delivery & Signed-For items in order to minimise contact during the delivery process. You can find the details here. Other UK carriers such as DPD have implemented similar processes for their signed products and the equivalent advice can be found on the relevant carriers website. Should you need any further information on this then contact our client services team at [email protected] and they will endeavour to assist you.
International Service Updates
COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) UPDATE – Please refer to our dedicated web page which covers the impacts of the Coronavirus on the processing, transport and delivery of mail and related items. You can find this page from both our news and service updates pages.
POST-BREXIT EU TRANSPORT/CLEARANCE UPDATE – A number of our suppliers (both postal and courier) are reporting issues with regards to road transport and clearance at the EU border. This is causing delays and a number of suppliers are now charging additional EU clearance fees. If you require any additional information or if you would like to talk to our team to see how this may affect you, please contact or Client Service Team on +44 (0)1444 871111 or via e-mail on [email protected].
Australia – Due to high volumes and backlogs in the processing and delivery of mail/parcels, we have have been informed that delays of 1 to 4 days (depending on region) may be experienced. This is on top of any potential COVID-19 related impact to linehaul and transport – the estimated total delay for items sent to Australia is currently believed to be upto 9 working days. Ongoing (issue start date: 01/09/20 – updated 25/10/21)
Belarus – Due to the flying restrictions to Belarus, the country is currently only available via road. This results in a delay of approximately 4 – 7 days. As soon as flying is possible again, the transit time will be back to normal. Ongoing (issue start date: 27/05/21)
Belgium – It has been reported on June 30th that postal workers at Bpost distribution centers have taken strike action in Zaventem. The strike affects mail delivery operations in Zaventem, Tervuren, and parts of Overijse. The exact duration of the strike is unknown. Ongoing (issue start date: 30/06/21)
Bulgaria – Items shipped to Bulgaria are experiencing customs delays as a result of changes to the EU’s VAT rules for items from non-EU destinations from 1st July 2021. Ongoing (issue start date: 13/08/21)
Canada – Restricted access to flights and capacity issues at the only available Canada Post entry point (airport) are causing significant disruption. These factors combined with peak volumes and COVID-19 prevention measures have resulted in backlogs locally at Canada Post and to some extent Canadian customs. Subsequently, many suppliers are reporting potentially heavy delays. We will update as and when we receive further information. Ongoing (issue start date: unknown)
Canada – We have been informed that approximately 9,000 Canadian Border Service Agency workers have been preparing to go on strike from August 6th 2021. It is anticipated that strike activity will take place at all Canadian airports, land borders, commercial shipping ports, postal facilities, and headquarters locations. It is therefore anticipated that their will be widespread disruptions to flow of of mail & parcels and delays will occur. Ongoing (issue start date: unknown)
China – Due to heavy rainfall since the 6th of August in central-southern China, the following postal areas are affected: Yingshan County – 511322, Dazhou – 635000, Jiangyang District (Luzhou) – 646000, Renshou County – 511421, Chengdu – 610000, Fucheng District – 621000, Danba County – 626300, Li County – 623100, Ningnan County – 615400, Xide County – 616750, Huidong County – 615200. Expected delays: 7-14 days. Ongoing (issue start date: 06/08/21)
Colombia – Landslide closes section of the Pan-American Highway: it has been reported that a section of the Pan-American highway has been closed in both directions due to landslides at kilometer 34 between Pasto and Ipiales in Colombia. The exact timetable for when traffic will resume has not been disclosed, and delays may be experienced until then. Ongoing (issue start date: 22/04/21)
Croatia – We have been informed that owing to an earthquake on 29th December 2020 in the region of the cities Petrinja and Sisak, some 50 km SE of Zagreb, the Croatian government has declared a state of emergency. Given this state of emergency, Croatian Post Inc. has established extraordinary measures for post offices within the affected areas (listed below) and these measures include:
• Extension of the delivery period by five working days;
• If items are undeliverable as a result of damage caused by the earthquake, and the new address of the addressee is unknown to the postal worker, they will be returned to the sender. The postal worker will mark such items “povrat zbog potresa” (“return owing to the earthquake”);
• If the addressee’s phone number is known, the postal worker will attempt to contact the addressee in order to deliver the mail item
44103 Sisak, 44104 Sisak, 44105 Sisak, 44201 Martinska Ves, 44202 Topolovac, 44203 Gušće, 44210 Sunja, 44272 Lekenik, 44273 Sela, 44250 Petrinja, 44253 Mošćenica, 44400 Glina, 44410 Vrginmost, 44415 Topusko, 44430 Hrvatska Kostajnica, 44440 Dvor, and 44450 Hrvatska Dubica. Ongoing (issue start date: 04/01/21)
Cyprus – Items shipped to Cyprus are experiencing customs delays as a result of changes to the EU’s VAT rules for items from non-EU destinations from 1st July 2021. Ongoing (issue start date: 13/08/21)
Czech Republic – Postal operator to temporarily shut down data network: it has been reported that Česká pošta is planning an extraordinary shutdown of the data network between 19:00 local time on June 18th and June 20th due to maintenance. According to sources, the planned shutdown will concern all branches of Česká pošta. As a result, postal services will likely be unavailable. Ongoing (issue start date: 18/06/21)
Eritrea – We have been informed that due to the domestic situation in the country, all mail services to this destination remain suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 08/10/18)
France – La Poste employees on the French island of Corsica have announced a 24-hour strike for September 23rd. Delays in the delivery of mail should be anticipated across the island.. Ongoing (issue start date: 23/09/21)
Greece – We have been informed by our suppliers that Hellenic Post in Greece appears to have not been able to process mail and parcels in line with expectations for a number of months. This is apparently due to high inbound volumes, ongoing Covid-19 related staffing challenges and a reorganisation program. The Greek postal service has been able to catch up on backlogged shipments for the months January and February, and is now processing the shipments of March. The expectation is that material coming from EU origins has no more backlogs mid April. Material coming from non-EU origins – which are subject to customs – will take longer to process. Ongoing (issue start date: 01/01/21)
Greece – Due to technical issues with the interface between Hellenic Post and the Greek customs, it is not possible to perform customs declarations. This means that items destined for Greece, that need to be custom cleared, will face delays in customs procedures. Ongoing (issue start date: 01/08/21)
Hungary – The designated operator of Hungary, Magyar Posta, asks us to inform that it will be conducting maintenance on its core IT systems between 29th September 2021 3rd October.
As a result, disruption is to be expected with regard to both international data exchange and international import and export traffic. Ongoing (issue start date: 29/30/21)
Hong Kong & Macau – The The designated operator of Hong Kong, China, Hongkong Post, asks us to inform that the passage of typhoon Lionrock on 9th October 2021 has had an impact on quality of service for all inbound and outbound mail services (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items). Operations are gradually resuming, but the impact of the typhoon is expected to last while the accumulated backlog is cleared. Ongoing (issue start date: 11/10/21)
Indonesia – The Indonesia post office, Pos Indonesia, has communicated a change to national customs regulations effective 1st August 2021. All inbound postal items and the related declaration forms (CN 23 EMS, CN 22, CN 23 and CP 72) are to be completed with the corresponding tax ID (NPWP) of the Indonesian resident, where available. For corporate addressees, tax ID information is required. For private addresses, if the tax ID number is not available, there are some alternatives:
• National identity number (NIK);
• Passport number (for foreigners); or
• Other identification number, e.g. driver’s licence number.
Failure to comply with this regulation may result in inbound processing delays, as items will be held until the required identification numbers have been provided. Furthermore, in accordance with the new regulation, all inbound postal items containing goods will be submitted to Customs. Therefore, it is very important that all necessary steps are taken to ensure that the CN 23 EMS, CN 22, CN 23 and CP 72 customs declaration forms for all postal items containing goods (letter mail, parcels and EMS) are duly completed in accordance with article 20-001 of the UPU Convention Regulations. Incomplete, incorrectly completed, or missing customs declara tions may cause delays in delivery. Ongoing (issue start date: 04/08/21)
Ireland – We have been informed that there has been some disruption regarding shipments to Ireland. This disruption is being caused by the implementation of new import controls which are resulting in the return of some items by the Irish Customs authorities. Postal operators remain in discussions with AnPost to help identify new processes that could improve the flow of mail items into Ireland and reduce the return of items. Ongoing (issue start date: 29/09/21)
Italy – We have been informed that Poste Italiane is currently experiencing capacity issues at their customs warehouse as a a result of very high parcel volumes received from countries outside the EU. There are difficulties with storing and customs clearance of incoming parcel mail items from non-EU origins and due to this the transit times will be longer. Poste Italiane is doing the best they can to clear the backlog and to get the process under control again. Please take note that the delays are only affecting items coming from non-EU destinations such as the UK. Ongoing (issue start date: 01/03/21)
Italy – The designated operator of Italy, Poste Italiane, has communicated that heavy rain in the eastern part of Sicily started on 25th October 2021 and is ongoing. This has led to significant and extensive floods, landslides and road closures. A state of emergency has been declared for the area until the end of this week. As a result, mail transport, processing and delivery operations throughout the island (postcodes 9****) are liable to be disrupted for both inbound and outbound letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items, and Poste Italiane has declared a situation of force majeure. Ongoing (issue start date: 25/10/21)
Jordan – The designated operator of JORDAN, Jordan Post, wishes to inform the designated operators of other Union member countries that, in accordance with the customs clearance procedures prescribed by the Jordanian customs authority for inbound international mail items containing goods, the addressee’s mobile phone number is of vital importance. Once the item is received by Customs, the addressee will be contacted for further customs declaration and payment of customs duties and taxes. The addressee’s mobile phone number will serve as the only credential for login purposes in the customs declaration system. Meanwhile, in an effort to improve customer experience and enhance delivery performance, Jordan Post has been asking mail couriers to contact addressees in advance to arrange a specific time for delivery before they go out to deliver. If the addressee’s mobile phone number is not available, the overall delivery performance will be severely affected. Therefore, all designated operators are requested to inform their staff and customers that, wherever possible, the mobile phone number of the addressee should be provided on the CN 22, CN 23 or CP 72 customs declaration forms for all letter post, parcel post and EMS items containing goods destined for Jordan. Ongoing (issue start date: 28/11/19)
Lebanon – Due to a general strike across Lebanon, that started Thursday, June 17th, all facilities of the local postal operator LibanPost are currently closed. There will be no scanning, delivery, or collection of mail and parcels going through the postal network, until the strike is over. Ongoing (issue start date: 17/06/21)
Libya – All mail services to Libya are currently suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 16/07/14)
Mali – The The designated operator of Mali, La Poste du Mali, informs other Union member countries and their designated operators that the National Workers’ Union of Mali (UNTM) has called a strike from 17th to 20th May 2021. The strike will affect the entire country. Inbound and outbound mail operations (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items) will be disrupted during this period. Ongoing (issue start date: 17/05/21)
Mali – Due to limited flight capacity towards Malta, transport is forced to go by truck and ferry instead. Since ferries to Malta leave less frequent than air planes, all shipments will be delayed. New flying options are being explored, to resolve this situation as soon as possible. Ongoing (issue start date: 04/06/21)
Mexico – All The designated operator of MEXICO, Correos de México, wishes to inform the designated operators of other Union member countries of new measures to strengthen import controls, in accordance with article 19 of the UPU Convention and article 3.7.1 of the General Rules of Foreign Trade of Mexico. These measures prohibit items in powder form, pharmaceutical products (pills, troches, tablets, granules, capsules and lozenges), and whey or serum proteins of animal origin. For a complete list of prohibited items, please consult
www.dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5545378&fecha=30/11/2018 (Spanish only). In addition, importers of food supplements require a licence in the form of a health certificate issued by the Government of Mexico. Further information regarding this certificate can be found at www.gob.mx/cofepris/acciones-y-programas/registrossanitarios-89343 (Spanish only). In the case of items already in the possession of Correos de México, commercial senders are requested to ask the addressees to comply with the applicable health regulation requirements. Ongoing (issue start date: 15/07/19)
Philippines – Tropical cyclone Kompasu has caused flooding and landslides in northern areas of Luzon, the Philippines’ most populous island, on October 11 and 12. Several bridges and highways had to be closed. Traffic disruptions should be expected in the coming days as clean-up efforts continue. Ongoing (issue start date: 11/10/21)
Portugal – Due to implementation issues regarding the new VAT regulations, CTT Portugal postal volume has some delay. Expected delays: 3-5 days. Ongoing (issue start date: 01/08/21)
Saudi Arabia – Saudi Post wishes to inform that effective 1st January 2018, a value-added tax (VAT) of 5% will be applied to the total value of each individual item/waybill entering the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to be paid by the consignee. This includes, without exception, all commodities being sent to Saudi Arabia, regardless of their purpose. It is therefore essential that each shipment provide clear and precise commodity details, including the name of the product/commodity and the total value under each item/waybill (preferably in USD). Ongoing (issue start date: 01/01/18)
Saudi Arabia – It has been advised that, with immediate effect, Saudi Arabian Customs has introduced some changes for all Non-Document shipments sent to Saudi Arabia. All B2C shipments that contain materials other than documents/printed matter will require the Consignee’s ID number. Where this is not provided, the parcel may be delayed in clearing customs until the ID number is obtained from the consignee. All B2B shipments of non-document materials will require a Commercial Registration Form from the consignee. This will be requested from the consignee when arriving in the country and upon receipt of the form, the parcel can be cleared through customs. Ongoing (issue start date: 15/04/16)
Slovakia – Due to heavy snowfall in Slovakia, potential delays can be expected for the collection and delivery of all products & networks in the north and east of the country. Once the weather conditions improve, the delivery will be back on track. Ongoing (issue start date: 11/02/21)
Somalia – All mail services to Somalia are currently suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 11/11/19)
South Africa – Poor service continues to be observed for all mail into South Africa. A significant part of the delay is the time between the mail arriving in South Africa and being delivered to the recipient. While improvements have been made and delivery times reduced, increased mail volumes have created bottlenecks in processing. Ongoing (issue start date: 12/08/19)
South Korea – Heavy rainfall causes flooding across Jeonnam and Gyeongnam provinces In Jeonnam Province, flooding has impacted the counties of Gangjin, Goheung, and Haenam, including the cities of Gwangyang and Gwangju. In Gyeongnam Province, flooding has impacted the cities of Daegu and Busan. At least 12 major roads have been closed across Busan and Gwangju due to flooding and the risk of landslides. Further rainfall is expected across the region, which may exacerbate flood conditions. Ongoing (issue start date: 06/07/21)
Spain – Due to the extreme weather conditions and due to the heavy snowfall, the collection and delivery of mail is affected throughout the Spanish territory. The Barajas Exchange Office (where all mail arriving in Spain is received) along with the Airport vhas been closed since Friday, January 8th. Over the next week it is anticipated that activity will increase with mail processing returning to normal towards the end of the week. Ongoing (issue start date: 08/01/21)
Sri Lanka – Heavy rainfall causes flooding in Colombo. Increased rainfall and related flooding have been recorded in Colombo and surrounding areas. Reportedly, the Kelani river overflowed and lead to flooding that is causing disruptions to ground transportation routes. The affected areas include Horana, Agalawatta, Bulathsinhala, Millaniya, and Madurawela. Ongoing (issue start date: 04/06/21)
Syria – We have been informed that due to the domestic situation in the country, all mail services to this destination remain suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 08/10/18)
Tanzania – All mail/cargo going to DAR is embargoed until further notice. Ongoing (issue start date: 30/04/18)
Taiwan – Please be aware due to a Customs regulation change by Taiwanese customs, all nationals are now required to be registered with Customs in order to receive the shipments. This can be done via two methods: 1) Through a mobile app called EzWay 2) Through the Customs website. The recipient will only need to register once with customs, please note failure to do this may lead to customs delays or returns. More information can be found on the website: https://etaipei.customs.gov.tw/. Ongoing (issue start date: 01/01/20)
Taiwan – Heavy rains in Taiwan since July 31 have caused floods and triggered numerous landslides and mudflows. Particularly affected are central and southern Taiwan, where significant damages were recorded on August 1. According to weather forecasts, rains weaken on August 2, however, continued disruptions due to flooded or damaged infrastructure should be anticipated. Ongoing (issue start date: 31/07/21)
Thailand – Due to a tropical storm, there have been floods in northern, north-eastern and central parts of Thailand. Delays are expected in the following zipcode areas: 13xxx, 14xxx, 15xxx, 16xxx 21xxx, 24xxx, 25xxx 30xxx, 32xxx, 33xxx, 34xxx, 36xxx, 37xxx 40xxx, 42xxx 60xxx, 61xxx, 62xxx, 63xxx, 64xxx, 65xxx, 66xxx, 67xxx 72xxx. Ongoing (issue start date: 07/10/21)
Ukraine – Delivery of mail for the Crimea and Sevastopol (postal codes 95000 – 99999) regions remains suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 18/03/14)
USA – Tropical Storm Fred to make landfall in the U.S. on August 16. The storm will continue in a west northwestern trajectory and is likely to make landfall on the west coast of Florida, United States, on August 16. Heavy rain and flooding can be expected in areas on the storm’s trajectory. Ongoing (issue start date: 16/08/21)
USA – A number of key roadways in Northern California have been closed due to wildfires. Highways affected include parts of state routes 32, 36, 70, 89, 147 and 299. Road traffic is severely disrupted as no detours are available in some cases. Due to the dynamic wildfire situation, areas of highway closures are subject to change at any time. Ongoing (issue start date: 08/08/21)
USA – The impact of peak volumes and limited availability/capacity of United States Postal Service entry points (at US airports) appears to be causing significant delays. Some of our suppliers are reporting that these delays could potentially run into a number of weeks. These delays affect both mail and parcel volumes. In addition, it is being reported that for tracked mail to the USA, not all initial scans in the USA are being done by the USPS. This means that some tracking events/info may be missing until they are sorted in the domestic centers of USPS. Ongoing (issue start date: unknown)
Yemen – All mail services to Yemen have now been suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 27/03/15)
Upcoming Public Holidays
November 7th – Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives
November 8th – Azerbaijan, British Virgin Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Tonga
November 9th – Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Spain (regional)
November 10th – Bolivia (regional), India (regional), Nepal, Panama Africa, US Virgin Islands, Various (All Saint’s Day)
November 11th – Angola, Bhutan, Canada (regional), India (regional), Malaysia (regional), Maldives, Poland, Saint Martin, Various (Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, Veteran’s Day),
November 12th – East Timor, India (regional), Malaysia (regional), New Zealand (Regional)
November 14th – Guinea-Bissau, Various (Remembrance Day, Father’s Day)
November 15th – Austria (regional), Belgium (regional), Brazil, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Palestine
November 16th – Bonaire, Saint Eustatius & Saba (regional), Mexico, Nigeria (regional), North Korea
November 17th – Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany (regional), Myanmar
November 18th – Bolivia (regional), Cambodia, Croatia, Haiti, Latvia, Morocco, Myanmar, Oman, Sri Lanka
November 19th – Belize, Cambodia, India (regional), Laos, Latvia, Monaco, Nepal, Oman, Puerto Rico
November 20th – Brazil (regional), Cambodia
