Postal services around the world suspend deliveries to US: how will it affect you?

Suspensions from Australia to Europe come after Donald Trump removed a rule exempting parcels worth less than US$800 from his tariffs

Postal services around the world have stopped sending some mail to the United States as they ready for expanded tariffs, after Donald Trump removed an exemption on packages worth under US$800.

Carriers have been temporarily suspending services since Friday to avoid delivering packages after 29 August, when they will start to be charged full tariff rates for most parcels.

Here’s what you need to know about what has changed and which countries have been affected.

Why are postal services being suspended?

The cost of mailing packages to the US is set to surge after the Trump administration removed a rule exempting packages worth under US$800 from tariffs.

From Friday, packages will be subject to fees relating to the tariff rates applying to their country of origin, making postage much more expensive. Postal services will have to cover the increased cost or pass it on to customers.

Dozens of countries have suspended postal services to the US to take time to adjust to the new rules and account for increased expenses.

Trump’s tariff moves had not previously impacted the mailing of packages valued at less than US$800, which were exempted under “de minimis” rules, a Latin term referring to items too minor to worry about. Trump in July announced he would remove de minimis treatment.

Does it apply to all mail?

Service suspensions differ by country. Many postal services will continue to mail letters to the US but have suspended postage of any package of goods worth under $800.

Letters and personal gifts under US$100 will still technically be exempt from tariffs after Friday but some services have suspended all US postage of goods and others have suspended postage to the US entirely.

Packages that had already been shipped to the US and arrive before Friday will not attract tariffs. Those that arrive after Friday may be returned to sender to avoid incurring fees, Belgium’s bpost said, while New Zealand’s service said it would hold the receiver responsible for all duties and taxes.

Which countries have stopped delivering mail to the US?

International postal services in nearly 30 countries had suspended some services to the US by Tuesday.

Services in 22 European countries – including the UK, France, Germany and Italy – have suspended some deliveries since Friday. PostEurop said its members, including a further 32 postal services, could be forced to restrict shipping.

In Asia and the Pacific, services in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore have suspended some or all deliveries.

Online marketplace Etsy has suspended US shipping label services for Australia Post, Canada Post and the UK’s Royal Mail and Evri, encouraging users to find alternative carriers who let them pre-pay tariff fees.

When will mail to the US return?

Postal services have told customers US deliveries will be suspended indefinitely until they have developed alternative systems.

Belgium’s bpost said the interruption would last until the US government had provided complete detail on the new import rules and it could adapt its systems to match.

Australia Post warned customers postage fees would increase to account for the tariff fees and new handling fees, after it partnered with a US customs-authorised payments operator to develop its new billing system.

While services are yet to determine how their fees might change, parcels will face the tariff rate imposed on their country of origin.

Until late February, US customs will also accept a temporary alternative fixed fee, differing by the tariff rate of the country of origin: $80, $160 or $200 per item, respectively, for countries with tariffs of under 16%, 16% to 25% and over 25%.

Why did Trump remove de minimis treatment?

The change is the latest effect of the Trump administration’s reforms to US trade policy and use of tariffs as a diplomatic weapon.

De minimis exemptions facilitated significant duty-free trade around the world, allowing businesses to sell goods at relatively lower prices if shipped in smaller bundles.

The US received a total of 1.36bn packages in 2024 under the exemption, containing goods worth $64.6bn, according to US Customs. Online retailers including Amazon, Etsy, Shein and Temu have benefited from the rule.

All countries facing tariffs will now be affected by the removal of the de minimis exemption.

Trump had already suspended the exemption for packages from China and Hong Kong in May, which the White House said accounted for the majority of de minimis shipments to the US.

Industry associations in the US had wanted the loophole closed for years, complaining of unfair competition from Chinese sellers. The move nearly halved the number of US users of China-based Temu in May compared with March, Reuters reported.

After Trump signed the executive order in July suspending de minimis treatment, the White House released a statement claiming the exemption had been abused to export fentanyl and opioids to the US, “killing Americans”.

This story originally appeared on The Guardian.