US Shipments Suspended by European Postal Services Amid New Tariffs
Several European postal services have halted shipments to the United States, in anticipation of the new tariff rules from the Trump administration, set to take effect on August 29, 2025. This suspension impacts postal services in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, France, and Austria, due to their inability to ensure the arrival of packages before the enforcement of the new duties.
The root of this disruption is President Trump’s decision to abolish the “de minimis” exemption. This exemption previously permitted packages valued at less than $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free. The newly agreed framework between the U.S. and EU imposes a 15% tariff on the majority of products shipped from Europe. PostEurop, which represents 51 European postal operators, has issued a warning that all members may suspend services if a resolution is not reached.
DHL, the largest shipping provider in Europe, has announced that it “will no longer be able to accept and transport parcels and postal items containing goods from business customers destined for the U.S.” This suspension is expected to affect approximately 1.36 billion packages, valued at $64.6 billion, that were shipped under the exemption in 2024. This creates a significant disruption for international e-commerce.