1 International Forum on Trade Facilitation May 2003 Trade Facilitation, Security Concerns and the Postal Industry Thomas E. Leavey Director General, UPU

1International Forum on Trade Facilitation May 2003

Trade Facilitation, Security Concerns and the Postal

Industry

Thomas E. Leavey Director General, UPU International Bureau

International Forum on Trade Facilitation


Evolution of the Post

Posts have enabled commerce and trade for centuries

A trusted and neutral 3rd party

Extending this role to the Information Society

What is required in the Digital World?


Digital World in 2008+

Internet access in all homes, offices or schoolsBroadband Internet access also 100% Internet “always on”Electronic documents and e-mails verified as legal documentsAddresses: personal zip codes linking home, business, telephone, mobile and e-mail Distributed directories globally linked via a common standardFinancial incentives offered to be onlineService fees to do business offline


Why is this Happening?

Companies and governments are moving to digital because it reduces cost and delivers faster


Improvements in Business Efficiency

$1.07

1¢

Banking

$10 $2Travel

$150

$6Trading


Improvements in Business Efficiency?

When companies and governments become more efficient...

Economies become more efficient

Productivity increases

GDP increases


What are the Risks?

In the Digital World of the future:

Who will you trust with your confidential and sensitive information?

How will you be identified, recognized and authorized for doing business online?

How will the integrity of your sensitive information and transactions be protected and kept confidential?


What are the Risks?

In the Digital World of the future:

How will contracts, agreements, patents, copyrights, business documents and business transactions be electronically stored and archived for the required periods by law?

What if you need to recall this information in five years for a legal challenge in a court of law?


Posts Facilitating Economic Development

The Post Office...

has played an essential and fundamental role in economic and social development

has encouraged the improvement and expansion of the transportation system

manages a network for distributing retail goods

establishes a commercial link with the outside world


Inefficiencies of Today’s Online Services

Businesses, governments, consumers, world trade organizations, etc. strive to adopt more efficient services

Conducting business online has delivered benefits

Range of online activities already large (e.g. shopping, banking, government services)

These applications work, but still contain inefficiencies

Many applications are prevented from going online



Why are real estate transactions not conducted online?

Why can’t we, for the most part, sign a contract online?

Why are costly paper trails maintained for high-value business-to-business transactions?



Missing elements to improve online transactions

User-friendly technology

Government policy and law concerning online commerce

A global network that provides recognized and trusted digital evidentiary services.


Removing the Inefficiencies

Technology companies are building the platform to facilitate digital commerce (e.g. Adobe, Microsoft, Unisys, Sun)

Governments and organizations are moving to develop the policy and legal framework for digital commerce

But, a gap remains


Removing the Inefficiencies

The postal industry is committed to filling this gap

Posts have centuries of experience as a trusted third party

Posts are establishing strategic partnerships to enable the services that will remove the inefficiencies


The Posts Have a Significant Role

Posts…provide in-person proofing services

provide address management

offer Registered Mail services

apply a “postmark” - legally binding proof of mailing in many countries

are global (UPU)



Regulated by governments and international organizations such as the UPU

Universal service is provided to all citizens

Important to the developing countries

Intergovernmental character of UPU as a UN agency maintains people’s right to communication



For the Information Society, Posts have developed new ICT services

Physical mail services are integrated with electronic services and Internet kiosks in post offices


Posts Facilitating Global Trade

If trust and digital evidentiary services are global, the opportunities for organizations to become more efficient suddenly become possible

Ultimately, as organizations become more efficient, whole economies improve

Without these services, identity fraud, credit card theft and the cost of processing paper trails will only get worse


Conclusion

Posts…

facilitate domestic and international trade

assist in building economies

are the hub for the world’s three main economic flows : information, goods and money

bridge the Digital Divide

provide a universal communication service

manage addresses

are trusted

are busy building the digital evidentiary services required by the Information Society


Conclusion

Posts are very busy building the digital evidentiary services required by the Information Society

Electronic PostMark

Identity Management

Developing Standards and Policies for global interoperability

Investing resources in the UNeDocs initiative

Documents

1 International Forum on Trade Facilitation May 2003 Trade Facilitation, Security Concerns and the Postal Industry Thomas E. Leavey Director General, UPU