On 16th January 2001 the members of the Working Group for Illegal Issues met at the UPU Headquarters in Bern, Switzerland. Since 1996 approx. 46 postal administrations announced problems with illegal/illicit stamps to the UPU. At the meeting of the Management Committee of the World Association for the Development of Philately in Tunis President Mohr proposed to introduce a special numbering for all stamp issued and to list them on the UPU Web site.

      The Philatelic Webmasters Organization actively collaborates with the Universal Postal Union in order to stop the issuing of illegal stamps. We publish here a list of countries that sent denunciations to the UPU. The list in not complete, but gives a good idea of countries which issues are under attack. Beware!

Afghanistan

No stamps were issued since 1989. All starting with 1990 are illicit.

Angola 

Three companies located in Belgium, Great Britain and Lithuania issued stamps in its name. The accompanying list includes 60 sheetlets of 6 stamps, 2 sheetlets of 9 stamps, and 1 sheetlet each of 2 and 4 stamps on popular topics such as Flora, Fauna, Trains, and Millennium.

Five stamp sets with values: 100, 150, 200, 250, 300 F on Elephants, Cats, and 130th birth anniversary of Gandhi, a  six stamp set on Butterflies, with values: 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350 F

Congo

"Turkish Cypriot Postal Administration": the 125th anniversary of the UPU and the eclipse of the sun on 11 August 1999.

Equatorial Guinea

Non less then 202 series of illegal stamps. The list will be distributed officially shortly by the UPU.

Greece

This country is denouncing a Web site based in the US (www.marlen-stamps.com) that carries illegal stamps in its name and in the name of many other places as well. These stamps have the symbol of the State printed on them, just like official issues. They display  Western personalities of the show business. All “Beatles” and “Madonna” stamps with a face value of 20s weren't issued by the postal administration of Kyrgyzstan either.

Between 14 March and 18 April 2000, were issued nine different series of postage stamps bearing the inscription "Republique Du Mali", with various designs. Issued in set of 9 values: 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500 F, on: Trains, Chess, Prehistoric animals, Magellan, Mushrooms, Computers, Dogs, Columbus, Minerals. These "pirate issues" were produced in Eastern Europe on behalf of a company located in Great Britain.

Mexico

All postage stamps bearing the inscription République Arabe Sahraoui Démocratique showing various designs. 

Russian Federation (List of regions with illegal issues)

• Altai Region
• Amurskaya Province
• Jewish Autonomous Region
• Franz Josef Territory
• Autonomous Region of Evenkia
• Republic of Kabard-Balkaria
• Kamchatka Region
• Karachay-Cherkessia
• Autonomous Region of Koriakia
• Kuril islands
• Novosibirsk Islands
• Kolguev Island
• Kunashir Island
• New Land Island
• Spitsbergen Island
• Republic of Adygea
• Republic of Bashkortostan
• Republic of Buriatia
• Republic of Daghestan
• Republic of Ingushetia
• Republic of Ichkeria
• Republic of Kalmykia
• Republic of Karelia
• Komi Republic
• Mari-El Republic
• Republic of Mordovia
• Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
• Republic of North Ossetia
• Republic of Tatarstan
• Republic of Tuva
• Republic of Khakasia
• Russian Antarctica
• Sakhalin Region
• Republic of Udmurtia
• Republic of Chuvashia

 Only the Remembrance of the Rwandan Genocide set, issued in 1999, is legal Butterflies and other sets aren't.

The two sheets of 9 stamps each of the 250 F and 450 F values, respectively, which have as the theme Greenpeace.

Sheets of postage stamps covering the  European Football Championship 2000, with a face value of 120.00 TMM.

Ukrainian Antarctic Post

More information about the illegal issues can be obtained directly from the UPU, Mrs. Maria Libera.