Effective January 26, 2014, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM®) to add information regarding the mailing of rough diamonds.
These revisions are consistent with Executive Order 13312, which implements the Clean Diamond Trade Act of 2003, and the Rough Diamonds Control Regulations, codified in Title 31, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 592, which set forth the legal obligations of U.S. rough diamond importers and exporters as prescribed by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM)
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1 International Mail Services
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130 Mailability
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134 Valuable Articles
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[Insert new 134.3 to read as follows (redesignating existing 134.3 as 134.4):]
134.3 Export of Rough Diamonds
The exportation (mailing) from the United States of any rough diamond (regardless of size, source, or value) is prohibited unless the rough diamond has been controlled through the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. See IMM 560 for the complete mailing standards of these items.
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5 Nonpostal Export Regulations
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[Revise 560 (currently “reserved”) in its entirety to read as follows:]
560 Export of Rough Diamonds
561 General
The exportation (mailing) from the United States of any rough diamond (regardless of size, source, or value) is prohibited unless the rough diamond has been controlled through the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. The Clean Diamond Trade Act of 2003 and Executive Order 13312 commit the U.S. government to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and establish the framework for how the U.S. government implements that commitment. The Rough Diamonds Control Regulations (31 CFR Part 592) set forth the legal obligations of U.S. rough diamond importers and exporters.
562 Mailing
The exportation (mailing) of rough diamonds may be sent only under the following conditions:
a. The shipment must be sent via Priority Mail International service with insured service (see IMM 134), and such service must be available to the destination country.
b. The shipment must bear a completed PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note — CP 72.
c. The shipment of rough diamonds must be exported to countries that are participants in the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.
d. The rough diamonds must be accompanied by an original Kimberley Process Certification Scheme certificate and must be sealed in a tamper-resistant container.
e. The shipment must be accompanied by a U.S. Kimberley Process Certification Scheme certificate obtained from a U.S. Kimberley Process Certification Scheme Authority licensee and validated by the U.S. Census Bureau.
f. The mailer must electronically file pre-departure information (regardless of the export value) through the U.S. Census Bureau’s Automated Export System (AES) or AESDirect website and obtain an Internal Transaction Number (ITN). (See IMM 520.)
g. The mailer must place the ITN on the upper right corner of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme certificate document and in block 10 of PS Form 2976-A.
h. The mailer must fax copies of all Kimberley Process Certification Scheme certificates (U.S. and those received from other countries) to the U.S. Census Bureau at: 800-457-7328.
i. The mailer must retain records of all Kimberley Process Certification Scheme certificates (U.S. and foreign) for 5 years, and must file an annual report including total import and/or export activity and stockpile information with the State Department.
563 Additional Information
For additional information relating to the import or export of rough diamonds, see the contact information that is available from the Office of International Trade, Strategic Enforcement Branch at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/office_intl_trade_contacts.xml.
Additional information relating to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme is available at http://www.state.gov/e/eb/diamonds/c19974.htm.
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When effective, we will incorporate these revisions into the online IMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Pricing, 10-31-13
