Postal operators worldwide are halting shipments to the United States as Washington moves to scrap tariff exemptions on low-value parcels.
The Trump administration announced last month that it would end the global “de minimis” exemption, which allows packages under $800 to enter the U.S. with minimal paperwork, effective August 29. Under the executive order, all such shipments will be subject to “applicable duties,” according to the White House.
With little clarity from U.S. customs on how duties will be collected or data submitted, national postal services are moving quickly to suspend deliveries.
DHL, which runs Germany’s postal service Deutsche Post, said it will suspend acceptance and transport of parcels and postal items containing goods from business customers destined for the U.S. from August 25.
“The reason for these likely temporary restrictions is new processes required by U.S. authorities for postal shipping, which differ from the previously applicable regulations,” it said in a statement on Friday.
The Swedish-Danish postal operator PostNord issued a similar notice, saying, “Due to the short timeframe to adapt to the new requirements, PostNord is temporarily halting shipments.”
Norway’s Posten Bring also paused parcel shipments to the U.S., saying U.S. authorities had yet to provide the technical solutions needed for postal companies. European operators, it added, were coordinating efforts to gain answers.
Belgium’s Bpost said it would suspend parcel shipments to the U.S. from August 22, while letters without goods remain unaffected. The Czech postal service has already stopped sending parcels containing goods as of August 21.
Austria’s Austrian Post announced it would no longer accept U.S.-bound packages after August 25, citing “insufficient information” about future customs clearance.
Spain’s postal service followed suit on Friday, suspending low-value parcel shipments to the U.S. from August 25. The move covers packages valued up to $800, though letters, books and gifts worth $100 or less will still be accepted.
Australia Post confirmed it had suspended its U.S.-bound transit service for third-country parcels but stressed that direct shipments from Australia to the U.S. would continue without disruption.
The disruption is spilling over into e-commerce. Starting August 25, online marketplace Etsy will suspend its U.S. shipping label service for national mail operators in Australia, Canada and the UK, advising sellers to use carriers like FedEx and UPS that can pre-pay duties.
FedEx said its services remain unaffected by the changes, while UPS and the U.S. Postal Service had no immediate comment.
Postal services halt U.S. shipments as Trump ends parcel tariff relief
