Channel Islands
Topical announcements to the collective area
SEPAC - New Venture, New Logo, New Thematic Stamp Collection
The SEPAC group of Post Offices (Small European Postal Administrations Cooperation) will issue their first joint stamp issue in the new SEPAC collection on 1. October 2007.
The purpose of the SEPAC stamps is to highlight to the world-wide philatelic industry and to stamp collectors alike, the joint cooperation of the SEPAC member Post Offices/Postal Administrations in connection with the promotion of philately and to make the public aware of the history, nature, scenery and culture of the SEPAC member Post Offices/Postal Administrations' European countries.
The member Post Offices in the SEPAC Group are Aland Post, Faroes Post, Gibraltas Philatelic Bureau, Post Greenland, Guernsey Post Ltd., Iceland Post, Isle of Man Post, Jersey Post Ltd., Liechtenstein Post Corp., Maltapost plc, Monaco Post and San Marino Post.
The theme chosen by the SEPAC membership for the first Joint Stamp Issue is 'scenery'. Each member Post Office may interpret this theme in their own preferred manner and eleven of the twelve post Offices will release their stamps on the same date - 1. October 2007. (San Marino Post is not taking part in 2007).
The SEPAC group has its own official SEPAC logo, the use of which is only available to registered SEPAC members and in accordance with formal guidelines. The SEPAC logo will be reproduced for the first time on one stamp only within each Post Office's set of 'scenery' stamps in 2007. The SEPAC stamp within each set will be that bearing the first weight step postage rate to European destinations.
Joint Issue Folder
A Special SEPAC Joint Stamp Issue folder will also be issued on 1. October 2007. Entitled 'Beautiful Corners of Europe', this folder will contain one SEPAC logo stamp from each of the eleven participating Post Officies. The stamps will be housed in protective carriers secured within the folder which will be decorated with attractive illustrations and informative text from each of the eleven countries.
The 'Beautiful Corners of Europe' Folder will be available for sale from all eleven Philatelic Bureaux of the participating SEPAC Post Officies.
The price is 18,30 €. It contains 11 stamps and coupons of the participant postal administrations. Send in the coupons and your free presents receive! This exckusive set has an edition of 15.000 copies.
The subject for the next common issue in 2009 is furthermore 'scenery'.
SEPAC Membership Criteria
On 16. November 2006, the SEPAC group made a presentation at the PostEurop Philatelic Forum, Brussels to give information to other European Post Officies about the SEPAC group and its Philatelic activities - which include two Conferences each year.
During the presentation, the criteria for membership of SEPAC were explained to the PostEurop Philatelic Forum delegates. Other interested Post Officies that fulfill the membership criteria were invited to register to join the SEPAC group.
The following criteria to the membership of the SEPAC count:
- The postal administration must be within Europe
- The postal administration must be independent
- The postal administration must have a small home market within more than 50% of the philatelic clientele abroad
The official launch of the common philatelic issue of the SEPAC and the folder 'Beautiful Corners of Europe' takes place on the 3. May 2007 on the philatelic fair in Essen.