Postal departments of various countries such as Italy, UK, India, France and more have joined now suspended postal services with the US. This move comes due to a lack of clarity on US President Donald Trump’s decision to end the exemption on tariff duties for low-value packages.
India, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Austria are among the countries that have temporarily suspended postal services.(Pixaby/Representational Image)
In July, Trump signed an executive order, which withdraws the long-standing de minimis exemption. This exemption, allows packages worth less than $800 to come into the US duty-free. Now with the new decision, this exemption is set to expire on August 29.
Postal services, including PostEurop, cited that the rules are still not clear and they are awaiting more clarity. In a press statement, PostEurop, the trade association representing European postal operators, said that “PostEurop Members may be constrained to temporarily restrict or suspend the shipping of goods via the postal networks to the USA.”
As the companies seek clarity on the new rules, these are the countries that have suspended postal deliveries.
India
In India as well, postal services to the US are temporarily suspended, the government said, citing confusion stemming from tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. India’s communications ministry said that the executive order requires other “qualified parties” approved by the US to collect and remit the tariff duties. However, “several critical processes relating to the designation of ‘qualified parties’ and mechanisms for duty collection and remittance remain undefined,” the ministry said in a statement.
Also read: India to suspend postal services to US from August 25 after Trump tariff moves
Germany
Deutsche Post Germany took to their X handle to inform that temporary restrictions will be imposed on postal shipments to the USA for private and business customers
Italy
Postnord, the Nordic logistics company, and Italy’s postal service announced similar suspensions effective Saturday. “In the absence of different instructions from US authorities … Poste Italiane will be forced, like other European postal operators, to temporarily suspend acceptance of all shipments containing goods destined for the United States, starting August 23,” it said. Mail shipments not containing merchandise will continue to be accepted,” Poste Italiane said on Friday.
United Kingdom
The UK’s Royal Mail also announced decisions to halt shipments to the US to allow time for those packages to arrive before duties kick in. It said that items originating in the UK worth over $100 will incur a 10% duty.
Netherlands
In the Netherlands, PostNL spokesperson Wout Witteveen said that the Trump administration is pressing ahead with the new duties despite U.S. authorities lacking a system to collect them, news agency AP reported. He said that PostNL is working closely with its U.S. counterparts to find a solution. Talking about the shipping services, it said, “If you have something to send to America, you should do it today.”
Austria
Austrian Post also gave directions that the last acceptance of commercial shipments to the U.S., including Puerto Rico, will take place on Tuesday.
France
France’s national postal service, La Poste, said the U.S. did not provide full details or allow enough time for the French postal service to prepare for new customs procedures.
″Despite discussions with U.S. customs services, no time was provided to postal operators to reorganise and ensure the necessary computer updates to conform to the new rules,″ it said in a statement.
The U.S. duty-free exemption for goods from China ended in May as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to limit American purchases of low-cost Chinese products. However, the exemption is being extended to shipments from other countries.