The SEPAC group of post offices (Small European Postal Administrations Cooperation) will launch their first joint stamp issue in the new SEPAC collection on 1 October this year.

The purpose of the SEPAC stamps is to highlight to the world-wide philatelic community 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 Åland Post, Faroes Post, Gibraltar 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 11 of the 12 post offices (San Marino Post is not taking part in 2007) will release their stamps on the same date - 1 October, 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 11 participating post offices. 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 11 countries.

The 'Beautiful Corners of Europe' Folder will be available for sale from all 11 philatelic bureaux of the participating SEPAC post offices.

Further SEPAC joint stamp issues are scheduled for 2009 and 2011 when San Marino Post and any additional new SEPAC member post offices may participate.

During the recent SEPAC meeting held in Brussels, Maltapost representative George Galea was elected vice-chairman of the group presently formed between 13 countries, as Luxembourg joined the group at the end of the meeting.