A ''bulletin d'expédition'', sometimes known as a ''parcel card'', is a parcel despatch note. ''Bulletin d'expédition'' have been widely used across the world. They may travel with the parcel and be delivered at the same time, or they may indicate to the recipient that a parcel is ready to be collected from their local post office. The cards were introduced after the establishment of the international parcel service by the
Universal Postal Union
The Universal Postal Union (UPU, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that coordinates postal policies among member nations and facilitates a uniform worldwide postal system. It has 192 member states and is headquartered in Be ...
on 1 October 1881 (Great Britain, India, The Netherlands and Persia, 1 April 1882), following the Paris agreement of 1880.
The service is covered in the
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
, ''International Mail Manual'', at section 744, "Foreign Dispatch Notes".
"Foreign Dispatch Notes"
in ''International Mail Manual'', 744, United States Postal Service, 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013
/ref>
''Bulletins d'expédition'' are to be distinguished from cards left by parcel delivery services, including the post office, where a parcel is unable to be delivered because there is nobody to accept it at the delivery address.
See also
*Parcel post
Parcel post is a postal service for mail that is too heavy for normal letter post. It is usually slower than letter post. The development of the parcel post is closely connected with the development of the railway network which enabled parcels to ...
* Parcel stamp
References
External links
''Bulletin d'expédition'' and ''Bullettino di spedizione'' of Italy.Archived here.
French language.
The 1880 UPU Parcel Post Convention and Swedish Foreign Parcel Mail, 1881 - 1921
by Sören Andersson in ''The Posthorn'', Scandinavian Collectors Club, May 2002
Archived here.
Philatelic terminology
Postal services
{{Philately-stub