Postal services around the world pause U.S. deliveries over tariff confusion

Postal services worldwide are facing challenges as they navigate the impending changes to parcel deliveries to the United States. President Donald Trump’s decision to end the de minimis exemption for low-value packages has created confusion and uncertainty for millions of parcels entering the U.S. each day.

Effective August 29, goods mailed from other countries will be subject to tariffs and Customs and Border Protection rules, with verifiable gifts valued under $100 remaining duty-free. This change has prompted a growing number of national mail services to suspend or alter their services to the U.S. due to a lack of clarity on how to comply with the new regulations.

In Asia, Korea Post and Singapore’s SingPost are among those temporarily halting certain services to the U.S., while Japan warns of potential delays or returned parcels. European postal services, including Norway, Finland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Belgium, have also made adjustments in response to the changes.

Deutsche Post and DHL Parcel Germany are suspending business customer parcels to the U.S., citing unresolved questions about customs duties and data requirements. Australia Post has temporarily suspended transit service deliveries to the U.S., although direct deliveries between the two countries remain unaffected.

The White House and CBP have not provided clear guidance on how the new duties will be collected, leading to disruptions in the global postal network. The decision to end the de minimis exemption has raised concerns about the influx of cheap goods into other economies and the challenges faced by postal services, online sellers, and shipping companies in complying with the new regulations.

As the deadline approaches, stakeholders are scrambling to understand and adapt to the changes. CBP has outlined temporary flat fees for international mail packages, but concerns remain about the lack of guidance and support from federal agencies.

The impact of the changes is reverberating beyond mail carriers, with online marketplace Etsy Inc. planning to suspend its shipping label service for US-bound packages. FedEx and UPS continue to accept and transport shipments to the U.S., unaffected by the postal operators’ decisions.

The evolving landscape of international parcel deliveries underscores the complexities and challenges faced by the global shipping industry in adapting to new regulatory frameworks. Stay tuned for updates as the situation continues to unfold.