Just in from a colleague:
>I just learned from the Austrian Post, and it might be of interest to
>you to know that in Jungholz and the Kleinwalsertal, the introduction of
>the Euro will mean that mail from both places can be franked in
>accordance with two postal tarifs (the German and the Austrian), as
>before, but with both tarifs priced in Euros.
>
>For instance:
>
>Now, a 20gram inland letter from Jungholz, Austria to any other Austria
>address costs 7 Schillings under the Austrian Post's tarif. A 20 gram
>letter to a German address costs DM1,10 under provisions of the German
>inland tariff that the Austrian's apply by treaty. One must purchase the
>AS7,- stamp at the Austrian post office in Jungholz using German money,
>given that Jungholz is German economic territory (an Austrian customs
>excluded zone). An AS7,- stamp costs DM1,00.
>Stamps on letters to Germany are cancelled with a postmark inscribed
>"Sondertarif" (Special Tarif) so that the Germans realize that the
>letter is not short paid and that postage due ("to pay") is not to be
>collected.
>
>After the introduction of the Euro, a 20g letter to Austria will cost
>the EUR equal to AS7,- (EUR -,51) and a letter to Germany will cost EUR
>-,56, and will still get the "sondertarif" treatment. However, there
>will be nobody legitimately using the EUR -,56 rate, because the
>Austrian EUR -,51 rate will also apply to letters to all the "CEPT" or
>"PostEurop" countries. Germany is one of those countries.
>
>I'm trying to find out now what is going to happen in Campione d'Italia
>and Buesingen, because here we have two tariffs in use as in Jungholz
>and the Kleinwalsertal, but the Swiss franc stay in use while the
>neighbors move to the Euro.
>
>There are interesting transition periods coming in December through June
>relating to the trade of national currency stamps for new Euro stamps in
>these exclaves, mixed frankings that are being permitted; dual use of
>stamps denominated in host country currency, national currency of the
>exclave's sovereign and the Euro currency.
>
>Andorra is interesting, too, with both operators of the two postal
>systems there (French PTT in Andorra and the Spanish Post in Andorra)
>both going to issuance of stamps in the same currency, but with
>different sovereignty identifiers (Andorra - Andorre), each valid only
>in the respective post offices of the two countries operating them. For
>awhile, the French were issuing stamps inscribed both "Andorra" and
>"Andorre". It will be amazing if customers will know which stamps will
>be valid in which post office, and which ""Eurotarif" will apply (i.e.,
>one inadvertently uses a French-Andorre stamp and drops it in a drop box
>emptied and serviced by the Spanish post, or v.v.). The rates won't
>be the same - someone's mail will either come back for correct postage
>or the addressee will have postage due.
>
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at
http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp