wrapper), regardless of value. When mailed in the United States, payment may also be made up to $8.17 on the basis of actual value for damage or rifling of contents (including instances when money in cash, banknotes, or values payable to bearer are prohibited by international agreements), if responsibility rests with the United States or it is not possible to determine in which country the damage or rifling occurred.

(b) Registered parcel post-(1) Cape Verde Islands and Portuguese West Africa. Indemnity may be paid up to $16.33, based on actual value, for loss, rifling, or damage.

(2) Cuba. Indemnity may be paid up to $10 for loss (contents and wrapper), based on actual value.

(3) Ecuador. Indemnity may be paid up to $50, based on actual value, for loss, rifling, or damage.

(4) Other countries. Although parcels may be registered to Bermuda, British Honduras, Congo (Kinshasa), Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks Islands, there is no provision for payment of indemnity in case of loss, rifling, or damage of such parcels.

(c) Insured parcel post-(1) General provisions. Indemnity may be paid for loss, rifling, or damage, based on actual value.

(2) Forwarded or returned to third country. The mailer may be paid only such indemnity for loss, rifling, or damage occurring after redispatch by the original country of address to a third country as the country in which the mistreatment occurred is willing or obligated to pay under any agreement between the countries involved.

(3) Canada. Indemnity may be specially paid as provided in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph for loss, rifling, or damage of insured parcels addressed to Canada containing articles prohibited insurance. See country item "Canada" in the appendix to this subchapter.

(d) Principal exceptions. Indemnity may not be paid:

(1) In excess of the limit prescribed for the insurance or registry fee paid or greater than that corresponding to the actual amount of loss (except registered postal union), rifling, or damage. Allowance must be made for depreciation or for needed repairs, and, in the absence of purchase receipts or invoices, the contents must be described in sufficient detail.

(2) To anyone in this country other

than the sender, for loss of registered postal union mail, except on the consent of both the sender and the country of origin.

(3) For damage or for partial or complete loss or rifling of the contents of postal union registered articles, except as stated in paragraph (a) of this section.

(4) When (1) other countries report delivery of parcels without external trace of rifling or damage and acceptance without reservation concerning the condition of the contents, and (ii) when delivery was made under conditions prescribed by the domestic regulations of the country of destination for mail of the same kind, or, on presentation of a regular postal identity card.

(5) When loss, rifling, or damage has been caused by the fault or negligence of the sender or the addressee or the representative of either, such as failure to endorse the parcel conspicuously to show the nature of the contents or to provide adequate packing for the length of the journey and for the protection of the contents.

(6) When an article or parcel cannot be accounted for in consequence of the destruction of service records through "force majeure."

(7) When the contents are prohibited, except as stated in paragraph (a) (4) and (c)(3) of this section.

(8) When the claimant, with intent to defraud, shall declare the contents of a parcel to be above their real value.

(9) For an article or parcel seized by the customs.

(10) For parcels that contain matter of no intrinsic value or matter which did not conform to stipulations of the conventions applicable, or were not posted in the manner prescribed. However, in the event of loss, rifling, or damage of mail erroneously accepted for insurance to other countries, limited indemnity may specially be paid as if it had been addressed to a domestic destination, i.e., on the basis of the indemnity limits for domestic insured mail. If erroneously accepted as registered mail limited indemnity may be specially paid under the conditions in paragraph (a) of this section. If postage was erroneously collected at other than parcel post rates, but the parcel was otherwise properly accepted for insurance, indemnity may specially be paid under paragraph (c) of this section. (11) For indirect loss or loss of profits in the case of parcels.

(12) When no inquiry or application for indemnity has been made by claimant or his representative within a year commencing with the day following the posting of the article or parcel. In the case of insured mail with Canada, however, the time limit may be waived when it is satisfactorily established that the delay was unavoidable and not the fault of the claimant.

(13) For damage which results from the inherent vice or quality of the contents, that is, its inability, due to its nature, to withstand the ordinary incidents of the contemplated carriage.

(14) When full compensation or reimbursement has otherwise been made by the Post Office Department or by any outside firm or corporation whatsoever except on a pro rata basis as coinsurer.

(15) For sentimental values arising from association of articles. Also, in the absence of a complete description, the claimant must satisfactorily establish the ordinary market value at the time of mailing, particularly in the case of heirlooms or antiques.

(16) For an amount in excess of the maximum prescribed for the insurance or registry fee paid, unless responsibility rests with the United States and it shall be shown to the satisfaction of the Postmaster General that the mailer was charged a fee less than that required to cover the amount of indemnity desired, through error on the part of the Postal Service. On such a showing, the deficiency in fee may be collected from the mailer and postal indemnity paid within the limit fixed for the higher fee. If full or partial responsibility rests with the other country and the mailer requested full coverage at the time of mailing, but a deficient and "unauthorized” insurance fee was collected, he may be paid for full value, less the amount of the deficient fee, but not exceeding the limit fixed for the appropriate insurance fee.

(17) For loss of articles registered free or for official registered mail.

(18) When evidence of insurance coverage has not been presented.

(19) In excess of the limits prescribed in paragraph (a) of this section for domestic registered letters bearing foreign return addresses forwarded pursuant to § 223.4(b)(2).

which

are

(e) When to be instituted. Claims for indemnity involving international registered mail, and insured mail for which inquiry concerning disposal has been made, shall be instituted only on in

(a) Endorsements. When dried whole eggs purchased under a program of the Commodity Credit Corporation, Department of Agriculture, are offered for export by mail, an endorsement must be written or stamped on each package by the sender waiving any right to withdraw it from the mail or have it returned. The endorsement must be properly completed and signed by the exporter or his authorized representative over his title. The parcel post forms accompanying such parcels should be completed by the senders to indicate that the parcels are to be abandoned in case of nondelivery.

(b) Certificates. A certificate in the following form, prepared and completed by the sender, must be presented with the shipment:

CERTIFICATE OF MAILING DRIED WHOLE EGGS

I hereby certify that there has (have) been posted at this post office today by (Sender), parcels containing a total of (Number) pounds of dried whole eggs on which the sender has waived the right to withdraw same from the mails or have same returned. Parcels addressed to:

(Names and addresses of addressees) (Office stamp)

(c) Surrender of permit. The permit is to be presented by mailer at the time of mailing. It will be postmarked and signed by the accepting postal employee. The permit will be retained by the post office and forwarded to the Tobacco Division, Consumer Marketing Service, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250.

(d) Charges. A charge of 5 cents will be made for each permit presented by the sender and for each package or parcel when a single permit covers more than one parcel. Postage stamps to cover the charge shall be affixed to the permit and canceled by the postmark of the office of mailing.

PART 256-CONSULAR AND

COMMERCIAL INVOICES

§ 256.1 Consular and commercial invoices.

Many countries require special documents to be prepared by the sender and either presented by the addressee or enclosed within the package. In some cases, certification by a recognized Chamber of Commerce in the United States, or legalization by a Consulate of the country of destination, or both, are required. The mailer may inquire at the post office for information, or purchase the Directory of International Mail from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. See § 114.2 of this chapter. (5 U.S.C. 301, 39 U.S.C. 501, 505) [32 F.R. 12278, Aug. 28, 1967]

AUTHORITY: The provisions of this Part 257 issued under 5 U.S.C. 301, 39 U.S.C. 501, 505.

SOURCE: The provisions of this Part 257 appear at 32 F.R. 12278, Aug. 24, 1967, unless otherwise noted.

§ 257.1 Description.

Drawback is an arrangement provided for under the U.S. Customs Regulations whereby exporters of certain merchandise are entitled to claim a refund of (a) the duty paid on imported materials used wholly or in part in the manufacture or production of the articles to be exported, or (b) the internal revenue tax paid on domestic material used.

(a) Exchange offices. Articles believed liable to customs duty are submitted immediately to local customs officers or redispatched for customs treatment to designated distribution offices. In the latter case, exchange offices will attach Label 81, a reusable pink slotted tag, bearing the words "This sack contains mail supposed liable to customs duty," to the label holders or hasps of sacks or pouches containing matter to be submitted to customs officers.

(b) Distribution offices. Distribution offices will submit articles supposed liable to customs duty to customs officers as soon as possible after receipt. The reusable tags, Label 81, removed from sacks containing this mail will be returned periodically to the postmasters at New York, New Orleans, San Francisco, Seattle, or Miami, as may be appropriate from a geographical standpoint.

(c) Priority treatment of airmail. Airmail articles receive preferential customs treatment and are submitted to customs separately from surface mail. Upon return from customs, dispatch will be by air if it will expedite delivery. § 261.3

Examination.

(a) Authority to open sealed articles. Sealed letters and letter packages con