Global Shipping Disruptions as US Eliminates $800 De Minimis Exemption
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
Dozens of nations have already announced partial or complete suspensions of parcel shipments to the United States. The United Nations agency that coordinates international mail deliveries says it is working to get small parcels dispatched to the United States again by resolving confusion over the pending elimination of a US tariff exemption for low-cost imports.
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 regional 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.