End of $800 duty-free exemption: European postal services halt US shipments; PostEurop says all operators could halt by August 29
European postal services are suspending shipments to the United States after Washington announced the end of the long-standing “de minimis” tariff exemption, sparking confusion over new customs rules and duties.The de minimis exemption, which currently allows packages worth less than $800 to enter the US duty-free, will expire Friday. According to the US customs and border protection agency, 1.36 billion packages worth $64.6 billion were shipped under this rule in 2024.On Saturday, postal operators in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Italy said they would stop sending most merchandise to the US immediately. France and Austria will follow on Monday, while the UK’s Royal Mail will halt shipments on Tuesday. Royal Mail said items worth over $100, including personal gifts, will now face a 10% import duty.DHL, Europe’s largest shipping provider, said: “Key questions remain unresolved, particularly regarding how and by whom customs duties will be collected in the future, what additional data will be required, and how the data transmission to the US Customs and Border Protection will be carried out.” The company added it will no longer accept parcels from business customers bound for the US.Poste Italiane said, as quoted by ET, “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 added that DHL Express and other private couriers remain an option.In the Nordics, PostNord called the suspension “unfortunate but necessary.” In the Netherlands, PostNL spokesperson Wout Witteveen said the US is pressing ahead without a system to collect duties. “If you have something to send to America, you should do it today,” he told the Associated Press.Austria’s Austrian Post said the last commercial shipments to the US, including Puerto Rico, will be accepted Tuesday. France’s La Poste also announced a halt, saying the US did not provide time for postal operators to prepare.
US-EU trade deal adds to shipping costs
The move follows a new US-EU trade framework, which sets a 15% tariff on most products shipped from Europe, including packages under the $800 threshold. The US had already ended duty-free exemptions for goods from China in May, according to ET.PostEurop, an association of 51 European postal operators, warned that unless a solution is found by August 29, all members may suspend shipments to the US.
New Delhi cites regulatory uncertainty
This comes as India announced a temporary suspension of most international postal services to the US, effective August 25, 2025, in response to the regulatory changes. In a government statement, New Delhi said the move follows Executive Order No. 14324, issued by the US administration on July 30, 2025, which formally withdraws the de minimis exemption for goods valued up to $800.
