Postal companies throughout a number of European nations are suspending U.S.-bound shipments because of confusion and an absence of readability over new import tariffs.
German transport large DHL and companies in no less than seven different nations are quickly pausing shipments forward of the U.S. ending an exemption on duties for low-value packages.
Postal companies in Germany, Italy, Denmark, Norway and Sweden mentioned Saturday they’d cease transport most merchandise to the U.S., efficient instantly.
France and Austria are set to start the suspension on Monday, adopted by the UK on Tuesday.
Starting on Friday, most imported items valued below $800 — beforehand exempt below the U.S. “de minimis” rule — might be topic to tariffs, the White Home introduced final month. Duties won’t apply to letters, books and small parcels valued below $100.
Most of the postal companies who paused deliveries instantly mentioned that they had executed so as a result of they couldn’t assure items would enter the U.S. earlier than the brand new guidelines take impact.
DHL Parcel Germany, the biggest transport supplier in Europe, “will no longer be able to accept and transport parcels and postal items containing goods from business customers destined for the U.S.,” the corporate mentioned in a press launch.
The transfer is because of ambiguity over the brand new customs rules, together with “how and by whom customs duties will be collected in the future [and] what additional data will be required,” in addition to an absence of time to course of the implications.
The La Poste Group, France’s nationwide postal service, mentioned Wednesday that “technical specifications and implementation details” of the brand new tariffs had been solely issued by U.S. authorities on Aug. 15, “leaving European postal services with an extremely limited timeframe to get prepared.”
It’s unclear how lengthy the suspensions will final.
The U.Okay.’s Royal Mail mentioned it will quickly pause shipments to the U.S. from companies beginning Tuesday, however added that it hoped to renew operations in just a few days, after putting in a brand new system that will permit compliance with the brand new guidelines.
“We have been working hard with U.S. authorities and international partners to adapt our services to meet the new U.S. de minimis requirements so U.K. consumers and businesses can continue to use our services when they come into effect,” the corporate mentioned, in response to the BBC.
Initially Printed: August 23, 2025 at 10:08 AM EDT
