Service Updates

Last updated: 1st of December 2023

Important Update below
 

Welcome to our live service update page for Europe. Below is a round-up of any issues that may be impacting our services to and from destinations in Europe. We keep this page as up-to-date as possible, with information supplied to Parcelforce from our partners. 

Service update: 1st of December 2023

Important Notices:

Import Control System 2 (ICS2) 
ICS2 is a regulatory change required by the EU, focused on continuing to improve the security of parcels shipped internationally. It allows customs authorities to identify items which may require control earlier in the supply chain and take the appropriate action. Sending countries must provide the required parcel/customs information. This means that any item that requires a customs declaration (including gifts, samples, goods and other categories) must have the relevant customs documentation attached and associated Electronic Data must also be supplied. You can use an approved Parcelforce or Third-Party Shipping Solution where this is captured so you can continue exporting with the required compliant electronic data. From the 1st July 2023 any items containing goods that do not have mandatory data fields completed will be at risk of being delayed, returned, or even destroyed. Please see here and here for more information.

Cyprus

We are still despatching items to Belarus however dispatch is once a week via a transit destination therefore longer transit times should be expected. We are continually monitoring the situation and will provide an update if there are any changes to our service moving forward.

Globalexpress suspension
Service is currently suspended until further notice. Any shipments already in transit are likely to be returned.

Icelandic Post has declared a state of emergency after a series of earthquakes in the Reykjanes peninsula. A risk of a volcanic activity in or around the town of Grindavik has led to authorities ordering the town’s evacuation which is expected to last for a minimum of two weeks.

During this time Icelandic Post will not be able to deliver mail in Grindavik (post codes 240-241). Registered items will be forwarded as possible to temporary addresses of residents. As a result, delays are expected for this region until situation returns to normal.

Our service to Ireland is operating as normal. However, items that require the payment of import taxes by the recipient may take longer to be delivered as payment is required before items are released from Irish customs.

Please note: Delivered Duties Unpaid items sent to Ireland are handled as follows:
•Where a mobile number and /or email is provided, the recipient will receive a text and / or email and a letter with the amount of tax to pay plus An Post’s processing fee.
•Where just the address has been provided, the recipient will receive a letter.

In both situations the recipient will receive instructions on how to pay and will have 16 working days to make the payment before the item is returned. The pay by date is included in the customer notification.All items are held in the Dublin Mail Centre Campus before being released, once payment is received. If payment is not received by the payment due date or the customer rejects the item then it is returned to sender.

As a result of the current situation in Israel we are experiencing delays with many flight cancellations. This is a fluid situation and may change at short notice. Throughout the country, the retention period for unclaimed items has been extended to 30 days. All items are subject to delay and we will continue to provide updates as we receive them. 

Please note at this time, we are unable to accept items addressed to Gaza or Khan Yunis and The West Bank.

Post Italiane have informed us that a 24-hour strike has been called for 24th November 2023 by Major Unions. 

Disruption is to be expected with regards to the handling of mail during the strike and over the weekend into next week.

As result, delays may be observed during and immediately after the strike 

Poland Post are still experiencing high volumes of items received into their network due to the aid assistance they are providing to bordering Ukraine. Poland Post is continuing to process and deliver items as soon as possible however, due to the increased volumes, delays are to be expected. We are continuing to work with Polish Post and will provide an update once the situation has improved.

Our Global Express Service to Russia is suspended until further notice. Shipments already in transit will be temporarily held in our network.

Russia can still be reached via our Global Priority service. 

Latest update
We are still despatching postal items to Russia (except via our Global Express service). We are continually monitoring the situation and will provide an update if there are any changes to our service moving forward.

Turkish Post has informed that two large earthquakes have hit the Southern and South Eastern regions of the country on the 6th February and a state of emergency has been declared.

This will severely impact mail operations and delays are to be expected across all affected areas

The Ukrainian postal service (Ukrposhta) has provided an update that road access for postal exchanges with Ukrposhta’s centre in Kyiv is severely limited, some international mail processing operations have been moved to Lviv. Longer transit times continue to be experienced due to queues at the border and difficult road connections within Ukraine. Ukraine Post continue to remain committed to maintaining postal operations, but will not be able to guarantee compliance with the agreed delivery standards.

To identify open post offices within Ukraine and their working hours please visit Ukrposhta’s webpage that is updated daily at: offices.ukrposhta.ua. An update will be provided once available.

Global Express suspension
Service is currently suspended until further notice.  Shipments already in transit will be temporarily held in our network.

Ukraine can be reached via our Global Priority service. 

Latest Update
We continue to make regular mail despatch to Ukraine transiting via our Postal Partners. Ukraine Post has updated that the country’s infrastructure has suffered severe damage. The attacks on the power grid and local energy facilities are necessitating rolling power cuts lasting from one to four hours. In some cases, following a direct missile strike, power may be cut off for several days in certain areas. In areas without active hostilities, all Ukrposhta post offices will remain open. In places with up to 24 hours power outage, Ukrposhta employees will hand out postal items and pay out money orders and upload the delivery data into the system at a later stage, once power and Internet access are restored. Sorting facilities are equipped with electricity generators to ensure uninterrupted work and maintain normal customs and sorting procedures. However, operationally there may be delays. Therefore, delays should continue to be expected for items destined to Ukraine until further notice.

There are 24 delivery regions in Ukraine (Oblasts) and we are currently unable to deliver to 3 of these;

Donetsk Oblast - postcodes starting 83xxx to 87xxx - including cities of Donetsk and Mariupol

Luhansk Oblast - postcodes starting 91xxx to 94xxx - including cities of Luhansk and Krasnyi Luch

Crimea (annexed by Russia in 2014) - postcodes starting 95xxx to 99xxx - including Simferopol and Sevastopol