Postal services globally are temporarily halting shipments to the United States in response to new import tax regulations that will take effect on August 29. This change follows an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump, which eliminates the previous global import tax exemption for low-value parcels. Under the new rules, gifts valued under $100 will remain exempt from duties, but all other packages will incur tariffs similar to other goods imported from their origin countries.
Major postal services, such as Royal Mail and Germany’s DHL, have announced they will pause deliveries until they can implement systems that comply with these new regulations. Royal Mail has already suspended its U.S. export services but plans to have a new compliant system operational within two days.
Previously, there was a de minimis exemption allowing packages valued up to $800 to enter the U.S. without incurring import duties. However, this exemption for Chinese goods ended on May 2 and is now being extended to all countries. The White House has stated that eliminating the duty-free exemption aims to address issues such as deceptive shipping practices and the illegal import of materials.
Deutsche Post and DHL Parcel Germany also announced a suspension of services to the U.S. for business customers, citing unresolved questions regarding duty payment responsibility. Meanwhile, PostNord has suspended its services after the U.S. provided details on the regulatory changes only on August 15.
Online marketplace Etsy is advising sellers that they will not be able to purchase shipping labels for U.S.-bound packages via several carriers starting August 25, while they adjust to the new tariff landscape. It is noted that the regulation change does not apply to personal items valued at $200 or less that travelers bring from abroad, nor does it affect gifts worth $100 or less.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2p17xypgko?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss