Postal visitors into america plunged by greater than 80% after the Trump administration ended a tariff exemption for low-cost imports, the United Nations postal company mentioned Saturday.
The Common Postal Union says it has began rolling out new measures that may assist postal operators all over the world calculate and acquire duties, or taxes, after the U.S. eradicated the so-called “de minimis exemption” for lower-value parcels.
Eighty-eight postal operators have informed the UPU that they’ve suspended some or all postal providers to america till an answer is applied with regard to U.S.-bound parcels valued at $800 or much less, which had been the cutoff for imported items to flee customs prices.
“The worldwide community noticed postal visitors to the U.S. come to a near-halt after the implementation of the brand new guidelines on Aug. 29, 2025, which for the primary time positioned the burden of customs responsibility assortment and remittance on transportation carriers or U.S. Customs and Border Safety agency-approved certified events,” the UPU mentioned in an announcement.
The UPU mentioned info exchanged between postal operators by way of its digital community confirmed visitors from its 192 member nations — practically all of the world nations — had fallen 81% on Aug. 29, in comparison with per week earlier.
The Bern, Switzerland-based company mentioned the “main operational disruptions” have occurred as a result of airways and different carriers indicated they weren’t keen or capable of acquire such duties, and international postal operators had not established a hyperlink to CBP-qualified corporations.
Earlier than the measure took impact, the postal union despatched a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to specific considerations about its influence.
The de minimis exemption has existed in some kind since 1938, and the administration says the exemption has turn into a loophole that international companies exploit to evade tariffs and criminals use to get medication into the U.S.
Purchases that beforehand entered the U.S. while not having to clear customs now require vetting and are topic to their origin nation’s relevant tariff charge, which may vary from 10% to 50%.
Whereas the change applies to the merchandise of each nation, U.S. residents is not going to should pay duties on incoming presents valued at as much as $100, or on as much as $200 price of private souvenirs from journeys overseas, based on the White Home.
The UPU mentioned its members had not been given sufficient time or steerage to adjust to the procedures outlined within the government order U.S. President Donald Trump signed on July 30 to eradicate the duty-free eligibility of low-value items.
