European Post Services Pause US-Bound Shipments as De Minimis Ends

A wave of suspensions and service pauses by European and other international postal operators has followed the US government’s decision to end the de minimis exemption for low-value shipments. As of late August, national mail services from Belgium to Germany, and from the UK to Australia, have halted or limited deliveries to the United States as companies seek clarity on how duties will be assessed and collected under the new regime. The changes are rippling through cross-border e-commerce, with private carriers and online marketplaces adapting in real time.

Across Europe, the pause covers a broad swath of operations. Belgium’s Bpost said it would temporarily stop accepting US-bound parcels, citing regulatory uncertainty and the mechanics of duty collection under the new rules. In the Nordic region, Bring and PostNord announced suspensions affecting parcels sent to the United States, while Austria’s post provider and the Czech Republic also signaled restrictions as they await further guidance. Finland’s Posti and Norway’s postal service have previously indicated stoppages or transitions, and the UK’s Royal Mail has flagged a brief suspension to implement a revised system for...