The new rules on packages worth more than $100 (€85) are intended to deal with new taxes being imposed by the Trump administration on parcels entering the US from tomorrow.

Several European and Asian carriers – including Swiss Post and DHL – as well as Australia Post, have already paused shipments to the US because of the new rules.

An Post has unveiled a new procedure designed to maintain postal connection between Ireland and the US

An Post has unveiled a new procedure designed to maintain postal connection between Ireland and the US

Today’s News in 90 Seconds – Thursday, August 28

An Post said its new process would involve little change for Irish business customers, who should continue to complete all necessary electronic documents for the US as they have been doing for some years.

An Post has developed the new procedure with a US postal partner

It will, however, affect individuals sending parcels and gifts to the States, particularly in the run-up to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The new regime will begin tomorrow, the Irish Independent has learnt. It is expected to affect thousands of items being shipped from Ireland to the US.

Any Irish-based business or individual sending a parcel worth more than $100 to the US will have to ensure the US-based recipient has paid any tariffs owed.

An Post has developed the new procedure with a US postal partner.

US president Donald Trump

US president Donald Trump

Under the new rules, Irish parcel senders need to alert the US recipient of their requirement to pay taxes on the item being shipped.

An Post’s US partner will then contact the customer to collect the payment securely.

If the US recipient does not pay the taxes due, parcels will be returned by An Post to the Irish sender.

Once tax is collected, An Post will ship the parcel, and forward the tax owed and associated data to the US administration.

The new rules do not affect traditional letters or lower-value parcels, but, as part of the changes, there will be no registered post service available after tomorrow for items being sent to the US via An Post.

This situation is not of our making

Garrett Bridgeman, An Post managing director for mails and parcels, said strong personal and business links between Ireland and the US had been built over generations, and it is an important market for many Irish firms.

“This situation is not of our making, but, rather than simply switch off services and leave customers high and dry, we’ve put a solution in place,” Mr Bridgeman said.

The new rules follow a directive from the US government that ends the long-­standing exemption allowing packages worth less than $800 to enter the US free of charge – a process known as “de minimis”.

 Marco Rubio was written to by An Post about its concerns. Photo: Reuters

Marco Rubio was written to by An Post about its concerns. Photo: Reuters

That clause is now gone, with US import duties and associated paperwork now liable on any package worth over $100.

Goods shipped through the postal system to the US will now face one of two tariffs. The first is an “ad valorem duty”, equal to the effective tariff rate of the package’s country of origin. The second is a specific tariff of between $80 and $200, depending on the country of origin’s tariff rate. In Ireland’s case, a 25pc tariff will apply.

An Post is opting to maintain services to the US, despite 25 members of the Universal Postal Union – the Switzerland-based UN agency promoting cooperation between postal services in 192 member countries – suspending goods consignments to the US.

The agency said it had conveyed concerns about disruption in a letter to US secretary of state Marco Rubio.