Parcel deliveries to US halted as end of tariff exemption looms for low-value goods

Postal services across the world are cutting off parcel deliveries to the US as the fast-approaching end of a tariff exception for low-value packages sows chaos in global shipping.

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As of Aug. 29, President Donald Trump is ending the so-called de minimis exemption that has applied to more than four million parcels processed by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) each day.

In response, a growing number of national mail services plan to temporarily suspend service to the US as soon as this week, citing a lack of clarity from the American authorities on how the duties will be collected and how to submit required data.

The Czech Republic's postal service has suspended US goods shipments until further notice starting Aug. 21, according to its website.

Austria's post provider will no longer accept packages bound for the US after Aug. 25, citing the changes to US Customs rules.

"There is currently insufficient information available about the Customs clearance procedures that will be required in future," Austrian Post said in a statement. "This tightening of the rules poses major challenges for all postal companies worldwide when shipping goods to the US."

Belgium's Bpost said it will temporarily stop sending parcels to the US starting from Aug. 22 due to uncertainty surrounding the new US rules for international shipments, according to newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws.