Postal services across Europe are suspending shipments of packages to the United States after the expiration of a long-standing tariff exemption, raising new uncertainty for businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic. The exemption, known as the "de minimis" rule, allowed packages valued under $800 to enter the U.S. duty free. In 2024, it covered 1.36 billion packages worth $64.6 billion, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is set to expire next Friday. Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Italy announced Saturday they would stop shipping most merchandise to the U.S. effective immediately. France and Austria will follow Monday, with the United Kingdom halting shipments Tuesday. "Key questions remain unresolved, particularly regarding how and by whom customs duties will be collected in the future," DHL, Europe's largest shipping provider, said in a statement. Starting Saturday, DHL said it would no longer accept parcels containing goods from business customers destined for the U.S. The move comes after the U.S. and European Union agreed last month to a new trade framework imposing a 15% tariff on most EU products shipped to the U.S., including low-value packages. National carriers including PostNord, Poste Italiane, PostNL and La Poste said they cannot guarantee packages will clear U.S. customs before Aug. 29, citing lack of clarity on the rules and insufficient time to update systems. Royal Mail said shipments will be halted Tuesday "to allow time for packages to arrive before duties kick in," noting that items over $100 will now face a 10% duty. PostEurop, the umbrella association of 51 European postal operators, warned that if no solution is reached by Aug. 29, all members may suspend shipments to the U.S. — Agencies
