EU stops sending one type of parcel to US: Trump is involved
Photo: US President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
European postal services have stopped sending parcels to the United States as new tariffs introduced by Washington are set to take effect at the end of August. Parcels from the EU worth less than $800 will now be subject to customs duties, Politico reports.
In July, US President Donald Trump signed an order that abolishes the long-standing “de minimis” exemption from import taxes on low-value goods, effective August 29.
Following this, the national postal services of France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, and the United Kingdom announced a temporary suspension of parcel delivery services to the US, citing preparations for the new tariffs.
Postal operators assured that the suspension will not affect letters and parcels valued at under $100. The decision will take effect on August 25 and remain in place until postal services find a solution to the customs issue.
“The suspension will be maintained for the time strictly necessary to adopt the necessary operational measures to meet the new obligations of the United States,” Spain’s national postal service Correos stated.
The UK’s Royal Mail said disruptions might last only a few days, after which it would have “a new system up and running.” Several postal services, however, blamed Washington for forcing the suspension, arguing that the US did not give them enough time to prepare.
“Despite discussions with the US customs services, no time was granted to postal operators to organize themselves and ensure the necessary IT developments for compliance with the new established rules,” France’s postal service said in an official statement.
On August 21, the US and the European Union finalized a trade deal reached a month earlier. It includes a 15% US tariff on most European goods, including cars, medicines, semiconductors, and wood.
Meanwhile, Trump has not ruled out tariffs on furniture imports to the US. Previously, he has already introduced, or threatened to introduce, other tariffs, including on medicines, cars, electronics, and many other foreign goods.
