Postal operators in 25 countries have suspended or restricted parcel shipments to the United States following a significant shift in U.S. customs policy. The widespread disruption is linked to the end of the “de minimis” exemption, which previously allowed goods valued under $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free and with minimal documentation. The exemption is scheduled to expire on August 29, 2025. According to the Universal Postal Union, the policy change has already triggered operational changes across multiple continents.
Postal agencies in Europe, Asia, and Oceania have either paused services entirely or implemented restrictions on shipments to the United States. The suspensions primarily affect business-related parcels, while letters and small personal gifts continue to be accepted by most carriers. Australia Post confirmed a partial suspension effective August 26, halting acceptance of parcels destined for the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Shipments containing documents, letters, or gifts valued under $100 are still being processed.
The agency cited the lack of readiness in handling the new U.S. customs requirements as the reason behind the temporary measure. In Germany, Deutsche Post and DHL Parcel Germany stopped accepting parcels from business customers bound for the United States on August 22. The company stated that shipments classified as gifts valued below $100 or standard correspondence would continue to be delivered. Other postal operators across France, Italy, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, and the UK have also introduced service suspensions or restrictions for similar reasons.
Global postal services halt shipments to US
In India, postal authorities have issued directives restricting parcel acceptance above $100 for U.S. destinations. This has impacted export operations in manufacturing hubs such as Ludhiana, where businesses shipping garments, textiles, and small machinery rely heavily on affordable postal logistics. Industry representatives have raised concerns about increased costs and delays due to the sudden policy enforcement.
The United Nations-affiliated Universal Postal Union has formally notified the U.S. government of the global impact, emphasizing the scale of disruption to international mail and small parcel logistics. The organization cited the need for clear and universally applicable customs procedures to enable continued postal cooperation. The removal of the de minimis threshold has introduced immediate compliance requirements for foreign postal services, including advance electronic data submission and upfront payment of U.S. customs duties.
Some countries have indicated that existing systems are not equipped to meet the new demands within the short timeframe provided. To address potential disruptions, the U.S. has introduced a fixed-fee structure as a transitional measure, allowing packages to be processed under a simplified customs regime through February 2026. However, several postal operators have not resumed full services due to unresolved technical and regulatory concerns.
Courier firms maintain operations under separate clearance system
According to data from the Universal Postal Union, the affected countries include Germany, France, Italy, Australia, the UK, India, Sweden, Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Korea, and Japan. While some shipments classified as non-commercial remain unaffected, the broad suspension of parcel services marks one of the most significant disruptions to international mail flows in recent years.
Postal officials and logistics providers have begun internal assessments to determine the operational changes needed to restore services in compliance with U.S. customs regulations. The suspension does not apply to express courier services such as FedEx, UPS, or DHL Express, which operate under commercial customs clearance frameworks separate from public postal networks. However, analysts note that the cost differential between postal services and private couriers could affect small-scale exporters and consumers relying on low-cost cross-border deliveries. No timeline has been confirmed for the full resumption of postal parcel services to the United States from the affected countries. – By EuroWire News Desk.