Global Trade Shift: United States Revokes Duty-Free Perks for Goods Originating Globally
The United States has implemented new customs regulations that will affect parcel deliveries from various countries, including Germany (DHL), Switzerland, France, India, and Australia. Starting August 29, 2025, the duty-free import exemption for packages valued under $800 will be abolished, leading to uncertainty about how duties will be applied and how data exchange with US Customs will work.
This change has caused some postal services to restrict or suspend parcel deliveries to the USA. If regular postal services comply with the new regulations, express carriers like FedEx or UPS may take over their business, as over 90% of "De-Minimis" packages are currently transported by these express carriers.
The White House has criticized regular postal services for restricting shipments to the U.S. in response to the new regulations. The U.S. government reports that Chinese senders are now using alternative routes through other countries to bypass these restrictions.
The abolition of duty-free status was initially applied to imports from China and later extended to packages from all over the world by the end of July. Since the change, duties totaling $492 million have been collected on these packages.
President Donald Trump justified this move by citing the "De-Minimis" rule, which he claimed had been exploited to smuggle dangerous drugs into the U.S. in large quantities through duty-free packages. Under the new rules, U.S. duties for the country of origin must be paid on goods, or a fee of $80 to $200 for a six-month transition period.
There is an exception for "true" gifts valued under $100. The White House suggests that regular postal services should focus on collecting and sharing more information about package contents with U.S. authorities instead of abandoning shipments to the U.S. The U.S. government does not anticipate any problems with express carriers' shipping.
The number of duty-free package deliveries has increased significantly in recent years, especially due to platforms like Temu and Shein. After the U.S. abolished duty-free status for low-value packages from China in May, the number of such shipments to the U.S. dropped from four million daily to one million.
International postal services have recently restricted shipments to the U.S. due to increased workload, which may lead to delays in parcel deliveries. The White House urges international postal services to work closely with US Customs to ensure a smooth transition and maintain efficient parcel delivery services.
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