Global Shipping Disruptions as US Eliminates $800 De Minimis Exemption: Countries Suspending Shipments to the US
The Trump administration’s new tariff policy affects only shipments entering the United States, with no impact on deliveries to other countries. As carriers worldwide adjust to the abrupt removal of the long-standing de minimis exemption, their service suspensions and policy changes directly affect the options we can offer. At forward2me, any temporary pauses to specific services or the need to collect duties and taxes upfront are a result of these carrier-led adjustments, not changes we control.
August 29, 2025 – Starting today, the Trump administration has officially eliminated the longstanding de minimis exemption for goods imported into the United States. This rule, which allowed shipments valued at $800 or less to enter the US duty-free, will no longer apply, meaning all packages are now subject to import duties and taxes.
The removal of this exemption is expected to significantly increase the workload for US Customs, as more shipments must now be processed and assessed for applicable duties. With the details of how these tariffs will be applied still unclear and the broader uncertainty surrounding US trade policy, postal services and courier companies worldwide are temporarily suspending shipments to the US until more clarity is provided.
Global Postal Services Halting Shipments to US
As of August 26, 2025, The Universal Postal Union (UPU) – the UN agency overseeing global postal cooperation – has confirmed that at least 25 member countries have already suspended outbound shipments to the US in response to the abrupt end of the de minimis exemption. The UPU says it is working closely with US authorities to resolve confusion around the new requirements for advance duty collection and remittance, and to help postal operators restore small parcel flows as quickly as possible.
In Europe, services in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Switzerland have paused deliveries. In Asia-Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Thailand have suspended some or all services. Mexico has also temporarily halted shipments to the US.
Major carriers including DHL, FedEx, and national postal services like Royal Mail, Australia Post, and Japan Post are among those implementing temporary suspensions. These measures are designed to allow carriers time to adjust systems, implement new customs procedures, and determine how to incorporate duties and taxes for low-value shipments.
DHL Parcel Germany and its domestic arm, Deutsche Post, paused the "acceptance and transport of business customer parcels via the postal network to the US" as of August 23, citing the new tariff policies that go into effect with the end of the de minimis exemption.
Meanwhile, Royal Mail has become the first international postal operator to launch new services for customers sending parcels to the United States in anticipation of the updated customs requirements. Starting today, customers can use Royal Mail’s Postal Delivery Duties Paid (PDDP) services, which allow duties and taxes to be prepaid.
Impact on forward2me Services
As a result of these carrier suspensions, forward2me is temporarily deactivating certain services that rely on these affected postal operators and couriers.
This includes the Lite service from the UK to the US (via Royal Mail) and the Cross Border service to the US. We are monitoring the situation closely and will reactivate these services once carriers have updated their systems and policies to comply with the new regulations.
We understand this disruption may cause inconvenience for our customers. We will continue to provide updates as soon as more information becomes available and sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding. Please note that these changes are beyond our control, as they stem from new US government trade regulations.
Looking Ahead
The removal of the de minimis exemption marks a major shift in global shipping dynamics, particularly for low-value parcels and e-commerce shipments. Businesses and individual shippers should prepare for higher costs, longer transit times, and potential delays until international postal and courier services fully adapt to the new rules.
List of Countries Temporarily Suspending Shipments to the US
Dozens of nations have announced partial or complete suspensions of parcel shipments to the United States, as carriers adjust to the end of the de minimis exemption.
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Asia-Pacific
India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia
North America
Mexico
Note: This list continues to evolve as carriers worldwide assess the impact of the new US rules. Temporary service suspensions give postal and courier networks time to update systems, calculate duties, and implement new shipping procedures.