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LETTER POST:
ARTICLES LIABLE TO CUSTOMS DUTY
OUTGOING PACKETS
The facilities for sending goods abroad in the letter mails vary according to the country of destination.
The general regulations are given below; any additional regulations are shown under the country of destination.
Before posting a packet for abroad containing goods, the sender should make sure that the regulations are complied with, as failure to do this may lead to the return or confiscation of the packet, or the payment of a fine in addition to the duty as a condition of delivery, according to the laws of the country of destination.
The Post Office abroad may charge a postal fee for customs clearance in addition to the customs duty.
GREEN LABEL LETTERS
Under the Universal Postal agreements, all packets posted for abroad at the letter rate of postage and containing goods (whether dutiable in the country of destination or not) must bear on the outside a green label. Green labels are obtainable from any post office which accepts postings for abroad and should be carefully completed and affixed to the address side of the packet. The service is known as the green label service, and the countries participating in the service are indicated under the country of destination in Section II of this Guide.
If the country of destination so requires or if the sender prefers, the packet should also be accompanied by the required number of non-adhesive customs declarations either attached securely to the packet by means of string tied crosswise, or inserted in the packet. Where separate declarations are provided only the upper part of the green label (Douane (peut être ouvert d'office)) need be affixed to the packet. The label or declaration should be made out in English and also, when the country of destination requires (see Section II of this Guide), in the appropriate foreign language.
SMALL PACKETS
Dutiable articles may be scut by Small Packets post, see page 13. A green label is essential. The countries participating in the service are indicated under the country of destination in Section II of this Guide.
SAMPLE PACKETS
Certain countries admit dutiable articles in sample packets under the regulations applicable to green label letters. Particulars of these countries, including those which have fixed special limits of weight for certain articles, are shown under the country of destination in Section II of this Guide. The responsibility for finding out whether articles are dutiable rests with the sender.
PRINTED PAPERS
Printed matter liable to customs duty is not debarred on that account from trans- mission by the printed papers post and, except in certain cases, see Section II of this Guide, no customs declaration is necessary.
The following special requirements apply to printed matter sent to Australia, Basutoland, Bechuanaland Protectorate, Canada (including Newfoundland), New Zealand, Norfolk Island, South Africa and Swaziland:
Australia (including Cocos (Keeling) Islands) and Norfolk Island Advertising matter (catalogues, price lists, circulars and loose advertisements inserted in magazines) is dutiable.
The following are, however, exempt from duty: Trade catalogues and price-lists not designed to advertise the sale of goods by any person, firm or company in Australia when sent into Australia in single copies addressed to merchants, firms or companies therein, and not exceeding one copy to each merchant, firm or company or branch office thereof and not being for distribution.
Basutoland, Bechuanaland Protectorate, South Africa and Swaziland Advertising matter, including direct advertising matter sent to private addressees, is subject to customs duty.