Postal services across Europe are halting shipments of merchandise to the United States as recent U.S. tariff revisions disrupt customs processes and postal operations.

At a Glance

• The U.S. is ending its duty-free “de minimis” threshold for packages under $800 effective August 29.
• Germany, Denmark, Italy, and Sweden have already stopped sending U.S.-bound parcels.
• France, Austria, and the UK will follow suit early next week.
• A flat 15% U.S. tariff will now apply broadly to EU-origin goods.
• Postal operators cite unresolved customs handling procedures and unclear data-sharing protocols.

European Postal Services Freeze U.S. Shipments

In response to shifting U.S. trade policy, postal services in Germany (Deutsche Post), Denmark (PostNord), Italy (Poste Italiane), and Sweden (Posten AB) have suspended most merchandise shipments to the United States. The trigger is the slated termination of the “de minimis” duty exemption, effective August 29, 2025, which previously allowed low-value parcels to enter the U.S. without duties. Without a clear customs framework, postal operators are unable to process parcels legally or efficiently.

France’s La Poste and Austria’s Österreichische Post have announced they will pause U.S.-bound mail by early next week, followed shortly by the UK’s Royal Mail. The suspensions do not apply to letters or documents, only goods-containing parcels.

Watch: Germany STOPS US Shipping! DHL Suspends Packages …

De Minimis Exemption Ends, Tariffs Now Universal

The U.S. government’s decision to eliminate the de minimis threshold is part of broader enforcement of new trade agreements. Under the updated system, nearly all goods shipped from the EU—regardless of value—will face a 15% tariff upon entry into the U.S.

Postal systems lack clarity on several fronts, including how duties will be assessed and collected, who bears liability for unpaid tariffs, and the technical data requirements necessary to comply with U.S. Customs and Border Protection regulations.

Express shipping firms like DHL have also paused their e-commerce services shipping to the U.S., citing similar regulatory uncertainty.

Logistics Bottleneck and Commercial Consequences

PostEurop, the umbrella organization representing over 50 European national postal services, warned the current halting of shipments could become widespread unless operational guidelines are established. Until then, the sector faces legal risk and possible delays or rejections at U.S. ports of entry.

This sudden disruption arrives at a critical time just ahead of peak shipping season. Small businesses and online sellers who rely on parcel delivery to the U.S. market are now forced to pause operations or find costly alternatives, threatening revenue and customer trust.

No Remedy Yet

As of now, the U.S. Trade Representative and Customs and Border Protection have provided no updated operational protocols. Trade talks are ongoing, but no joint implementation plan outlining how duties will be collected or data exchanged has been released. Absent that, the widespread shipping freeze is likely to endure, potentially through the rest of 2025.

Sources

The Associated Press
Reuters
Bloomberg
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