Major European postal services including DHL and Deutsche Post have temporarily suspended parcel shipments to the United States, citing uncertainty over new tariff regulations set to take effect on 29 August.

DHL announced on 22 August that it would pause "acceptance and transport of business customer parcels via the postal network to the US" from Saturday 23 August.

The suspension follows an executive order signed by president Donald Trump in late July that effectively ends the de minimis trade agreement.

The de minimis exemption, established under Section 321 of the Tariff Act of 1930, previously allowed packages worth less than $800 to enter the US duty-free.

In 2024, such shipments were valued at more than $1.36 billion, according to US Customs and Border Protection.

"Key questions remain unresolved, particularly regarding how and by whom customs duties will be collected in the future, what additional data will be required, and how the data transmission to the US Customs and Border Protection will be carried out," DHL said in a statement.

While Royal Mail initially said it would halt some US-bound shipments from Tuesday 26 August to ensure parcels arrive before the new regulations take effect, on Thursday the company said it would become the first international postal operator to launch new services so customers can continue sending goods to the US.

Iain Johnson, managing director international, at Royal Mail said: “We have been working hard with the relevant US authorities and our international partners to adapt our services in a very short timeframe. Our UK-based customers, whether consumers or businesses, can now send items to the US through all of our usual channels, including online and the Post Office, in time for the new customs requirements which come into effect on Friday 29 August.”

The British postal service said that, with a few exceptions, all goods entering the US will attract duties which will need to be paid to the US Customs Authorities, a process that will be handled by Royal Mail.

Other European operators including France's La Poste, Spain's Correos, Poste Italiane, and postal services in Belgium, Sweden, Denmark and Norway have suspended certain US shipments.

Austria's Österreichische Post joined the suspension on Tuesday.

The regulatory changes are expected to significantly impact small and medium-sized European businesses that export lower-value goods to the US. Commercial shipments will now face a minimum 15 per cent tariff, with some categories subject to higher duties.

Personal gifts worth less than $100 can still be sent between individuals, though postal operators warn these will be subject to additional checks to prevent commercial use of the service. Other items can be shipped via premium express services but will incur applicable tariffs.

The Trump administration had originally planned to end the exemption in February but postponed the deadline after packages began accumulating without adequate time for policy implementation. The loophole was already closed on 2 May for imports specifically from China and Hong Kong.

DHL stated it is "closely monitoring the further developments and is in contact with US authorities, together with its European partners" with the goal of resuming postal goods shipping "as quickly as possible," though no timeline has been provided.

PostEurop, representing 51 European public postal operators, indicated that if no practical solutions emerge before 29 August, all members would likely suspend the majority of parcel shipments to the US.

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