Shoppers waiting for low-value packages from outside the United States are about to have to pay more for them.
Those low-value imports no longer have duty-free status as of Friday, thanks to an executive order President Donald Trump signed last month. That order eliminates a widely-used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less. That exemption ended Friday, nearly two years earlier than the deadline set in the tax cuts and spending bill approved by Congress.
Trump actually ended the “de minimis” rule on goods from China and Hong Kong earlier this year, that exemption is now gone for everywhere else. That means small businesses and online shoppers will now have to pay more for goods shipped from anywhere.
Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will require vetting and be subject to their origin country’s applicable tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%, according to a report from The Associated Press.
For the next six months, carriers handling orders sent through the global mail network also can choose a flat duty of $80 to $200 per package instead of the value-based rate.
In response, according to the AP, national postal services of more than a dozen countries said they would temporarily suspend sending some or most U.S.-bound packages due to confusion over processing and payment requirements.
Japan and Switzerland on Monday joined Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Thailand, the U.K. and New Zealand in saying they would pause shipments.
Other countries have similar exemptions, but the threshold is usually lower. For example, 150 euros ($175) is the value limit in the 20 European Union countries that use the euro as their official currency. The U.K. allows foreign businesses to send parcels worth up to 135 pounds ($182) without incurring tariff charges.
