Temporary surcharge for destinations outside of Europe (consumers)

These FAQs are aimed at consumers and small business owners that deliver their international shipments to our PostNL points or through jouw.postnl.nl. The coronavirus measures being taken globally affect our international service provision. We are not delivering to some destinations at all at the moment, and for other destinations we are offering alternative transport. There are often other costs connected to this. From 17 April 2020 onwards, we therefore have no choice but to charge a temporary surcharge for shipments with destinations outside of Europe (Rest of World rate zone).

FAQs on business surcharge

General

What is the surcharge that I now have to pay?

The temporary surcharge for each product is specified in our summary of rate changes. The summary is available here.

Why do I suddenly have to pay extra for my international shipment?

We are not delivering to some destinations at all at the moment, and for other destinations we are offering alternative transport. That is why, as of 17 April 2020, a surcharge will apply for all destinations outside of Europe. These destinations have been difficult to reach since the coronavirus put all international air traffic to a standstill. Alternative transport involves additional costs, meaning we have no option but to charge a temporary surcharge.

Which countries are you not delivering to at all at the moment?

An up-to-date list of countries that we are not delivering to at the moment or where delivery is delayed is available at postnl.nl/isa.

Are other postal companies across the world experiencing the same thing?

Yes. Other postal companies across the world are experiencing the same thing. Some companies are not sending any shipments at all to countries outside of Europe, while other companies are also charging a surcharge.

Does the surcharge apply to all international shipments?

The surcharge only applies to the following shipments with destinations outside of Europe where the ‘Rest of the World’ rate zone applies:

registered items;
insured shipments;
parcels.

NB: the surcharge does not apply to standard letters franked with stamps. The ‘International’ rate zone applies to standard letters.

Why do I also have to pay more for an insured parcel within Europe?

If an insured parcel with an international destination gets lost or damaged, PostNL will pay compensation to the sender. The postal company in the destination country will also pay compensation to PostNL. Many postal companies in and outside of Europe have specified that they will stop paying compensation for the time being, due to the coronavirus. We want to ensure that you as a customer can still use this shipping option, which is why a temporary surcharge also applies to insured shipments within Europe.

Which alternative mode of transport are you using?

Usually, post is also transported on passenger flights. At the moment, however, we are mostly dependent on cargo planes. The rate for cargo flights is considerably higher.

Is my shipment delayed?

Aside from the surcharge, there is also a chance that your shipment will be delayed. Due to the corona crisis, many countries are taking measures that affect the delivery of post and parcels. We are unable to deliver to some countries outside of Europe at all at the moment, and for other countries we have managed to find an alternative. The latest information on international deliveries is available at postnl.nl/isa.

How long will the surcharge apply?

The surcharge will apply for as long as we are dependent on other modes of transport due to limited air traffic. As soon as we can resume our normal service, we will of course scrap the surcharge. More information about this is available on our website.

Is the surcharge the same for all shipments?

No. The amount of the surcharge depends on the type of shipment and average weight as specified in the table of surcharges per product for the Rest of the World (ROW) zone. A summary per product is available at www.postnl.nl/tarieven.