Twenty-five countries announced suspensions of package shipments to the United States starting August 23-25, 2025, according to the UN postal agency, creating unprecedented disruption to global mail systems. Postal services in Germany, France, Italy, UK, India, Japan, Switzerland, Austria, and others cited confusion over new US import duty rules as the primary reason for halting commercial shipments.

Trump signed an executive order in July 2025 eliminating the de minimis exemption that allowed goods worth up to $800 to enter the US duty-free since 2016. The policy change, expanding from China-only restrictions implemented in May, takes effect August 29, 2025, requiring all international packages above $100 in personal gifts to pay country-specific tariffs.

Deutsche Post and DHL Parcel Germany announced Monday they could no longer accept parcels destined for the US, stating key questions remain unresolved about who collects customs duties and how data transmission to US Customs and Border Protection will work. European postal operators from PostNord, La Poste, Poste Italiane, and Austrian Post followed with similar announcements citing operational and technical readiness concerns.

India's communications ministry explained that Trump's executive order requires transport carriers or qualified parties approved by US authorities to collect and remit tariff duties, but several critical processes relating to qualified party designation and duty collection mechanisms remain undefined. US-bound air carriers expressed inability to accept postal consignments after August 25, 2025, due to lack of operational clarity.

The Universal Postal Union treaties governing international mail assume predictable shipping costs and simple customs procedures, but Trump's constantly changing tariff rates overwhelm systems designed for century-old simplicity. Postal services worldwide cannot guarantee compliance with new US requirements that change faster than international bureaucracies can adapt.

American exporters face immediate order cancellations as foreign buyers cannot receive products, while domestic retailers lose access to imported inventory needed for holiday sales seasons. Small businesses that depend on international suppliers for specialized items under $800 face potential closure as shipping suspension may last months during renegotiation of postal agreements.

The shipping halt affects 1.36 billion packages worth $64.6 billion that entered duty-free in 2024, according to trade data, representing massive disruption to US-bound commerce. For items from countries with tariff rates of 25% or more like China, Brazil, India, Switzerland, and Canada, an $800 product now faces at least $200 in additional costs just to enter the US market.