Overview
- Australia Post imposed an immediate, open-ended suspension on most parcels to the United States and Puerto Rico from August 26, with letters and personal gifts under about US$100 still accepted.
- European and Asian postal services including La Poste, Deutsche Post/DHL, PostNL, Royal Mail, Japan Post, Swiss Post and India Post have paused the bulk of U.S.-bound packages ahead of the August 29 rule change.
- Carriers cite unresolved questions on who pays tariffs, how duties will be collected, and what data must be transmitted to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with several saying a nationwide collection system is not yet in place.
- Under reported guidance, parcels will face either country-of-origin ad valorem duties or a temporary specific charge of roughly US$80–US$200 per item depending on origin until late February.
- Some operators are pursuing workarounds such as partnering with CBP-authorized providers like Zonos or shifting traffic to private couriers, while analysts warn small exporters and discount e-commerce sellers face higher costs and disruption.