Asked to complain on fee on packages

Norwegian authorities decline to intervene against Nordisk Express, which continues to charge a NOK 186 fee for toll-free gift packages sent from the US. The Consumer Council is now asking that people direct their complaints to the United States Postal Service (USPS).

Forbrukerrådet Publisert: 17.12.2002 14:57

The Consumer Council is also recommending that recipients of packages from the US pay the fee. If not, the gift will be returned and the sender will have an even higher bill to pay. But the Council maintains that it is unreasonable that recipients have to pay close to NOK 200 for delivery of a toll free gift.

Ask people to complain

- People should complain to The United States Postal Service (USPS), urges Legal Adviser Jon-Andreas Lange.
- This will make them aware of the extent of the problem. - It is the USPS that has chosen to work with a partner other than the Norwegian Postal Service, with the problems that creates, Lange says.

Locked Situation

The Consumer Council has all along questioned both the legality and the fairness of such a fee.
After a meeting at the Consumer Council yesterday afternoon the situation is still locked, and no authority wishes to deal with the issue, although all agree that it is a problem.

Packages at a value of under NOK 500 is to be handed out toll and fee free, says the Consumer Coucil. (Foto: Corbis)

Background

But the Consumer Council will continue to work to have the fee removed:

- We have all along claimed that gift packages at a value of under NOK 500 are to be delivered toll- and fee free, with the exception of liquor, wine and tobacco, says Legal Advisor Jon-Andreas Lange.
Yet Nordisk Express has been collecting a fee, and continues to do so.

The sender has paid the United States Postal Service (USPS) for transportation all the way to the receiver. And we believe that Nordisk Express must charge the USPS for their part of the job, says Lange. Nordisk Express agrees, but informs that they have not been able to reach an agreement with USPS on this.

Nordisk Express has previously stated that they have taken over a contract that the Norwegian Postal Service had earlier. And while the Postal Service’s revenue is channeled through taxes, Nordisk Express is charging the customers directly.

According to the company, they process packages and provide documentation to the Customs Service. Nordisk Express is obligated to keep the packages in storage until the Custom Officers gives the go ahead.
-And when the receiver has paid, we deliver the packages on their doorstep, Nordisk Express explains.

- Differential treatment

- Besides there is a significant difference between the terms of operation enjoyed by the Norwegian Postal Service and its commercial competitors. In contrast with us, the Postal Service does not need to register low-value shipments as freight, and neither are they obligated to keep duty accounts for these shipments, says Ragnar Hagen in Nordisk Express.

- This means that the Postal Service only has to deliver lists to the Customs Service for duty-free clearance – without having to do any kind of registration of shipments themselves.

- Moreover the Postal Service has in-house Customs Officers as an integrated part of their operations – something that we are not allowed to have. With the same terms of operation we would also be able to provide this service free of charge, Ragnar Hagen believes.

No clarification

- We had a meeting with Nordisk Express about this issue yesterday. The Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority and The Consumer Ombudsman were also present, but no clarification was reached, tells Lange.

- But cannot responsible Norwegian authorities take care of the problem?
- Everyone says it is a problem, but no one wants to address it here and now:

- The Ministry of Transportation feels it is a customs problem – and has passed the ball on to the Customs Authorities. But there they say that this is not a question of toll, but of a company’s payment for its services.
- The Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority does not believes it has the competence to interfere. The Norwegian Competition Authority reports that the law on pricing – which has relevant provisions – is not prioritized in cases involving small amounts, and in any case requires participation from either police or court.

- The Consumer Ombudsman does not currently wish to address the issue either, but will look at the question in a larger context.
- Consumers who would like to get round the fee and pay a little less, can inform the Postal Service and Nordisk Express know that they would like to clear the package at Customs themselves. The fee will then be NOK 125, Jon-Andreas Lange says.