The European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations connects, among other things, the postal administrations of its member states for the purpose of cooperation within the EU but also beyond EU borders. The annual motto of the joint stamp issues usually inspires very different motifs. However, in 2023, this was different. This year, the joint issue was dedicated to peace, which, as the greatest good of humanity, was honoured with a common motif – entwined ribbons with hands clasped together. In other years, we find highly interesting buildings or endangered animal species. Europe stamps offer collectors a wide variety of motifs, always guided by common themes. Since its creation, more and more countries have been added to the MICHEL CEPT catalogue, and so the new issues in this edition amount to over 40 pages.
This edition has some changes in store. The MICHEL editorial team has been working intensively on the concept of the CEPT catalogue and, due to the increasing expansion in the last few editions, has agreed on a significant streamlining of the catalogue content. By limiting the catalogue to joint issues, this volume has a more manageable size. At the same time, it offers collectors a clear focus and an excellent overview for a CEPT collection. Your own collection is a very individual thing, but under the title ‘CEPT’ we do not want to include any other associations or clubs of postal administrations in the future, nor do we want the always controversial followers. This volume still contains the forerunner issues, the CEPT joint issues, and the official stamps for the Council of Europe.
For the reader’s convenience, the European stamps are arranged by year, so that country issues on common topics can be found together. This arrangement has proven itself over a long period of time due to the subject of the catalogue and should therefore be retained. The data records are completely up to date and correspond to the data records from the respective German, European and Overseas catalogues in terms of content and processing status.
The catalogue is being published in a completely new edition in a 46th edition and comprises around 500 pages. The cover is cardboard. ISBN: 978-3-95402-449-0, price: 74 euros. The new edition will be available from 6 September 2024.
Translated with DeepL (www.deepl.com)
