US ends de minimis loophole for international imports

As of Friday, the US has abolished duty-free imports for goods valued under 800 dollars.

President Donald Trump initially lifted the exemption for China. At the end of July, he also ordered the end of duty-free status for parcels from around the world. International postal services had already restricted shipments to the US in recent weeks due to the increased workload. The White House wants them to collect more information on the contents of parcels instead.

Trump justified the move by stating that dangerous drugs had been smuggled into the US on a large scale in parcels that were duty-free under the so-called 'de-minimis' rule. In recent years, duty-free parcel deliveries have risen sharply, thanks in part to platforms like Temu and Shein.

Fewer parcels after China ban

After duty-free status was abolished for low-value parcels from China in May, the number of such shipments to the US fell from four million to one million per day, according to government figures. In addition, duties of 492 million dollars have been levied on the parcels since then.

According to the US government, Chinese shippers are looking for detours via other countries. This made it necessary to extend the measure to parcels from all over the world. Under the rules in effect since Friday, goods must be subject to the applicable US duties for the country of origin. Alternatively, a fee of 80 to 200 dollars will be charged for a transitional period of six months. An exception is made for 'genuine' gifts worth less than 100 dollars.

Criticism of postal services

More than 90 percent of 'de-minimis' parcels are transported by express delivery services such as FedEx or UPS, the US government said. No shipping problems are expected here. The White House has harsh words for regular postal services that have restricted shipping to the US in view of the new regulation. They should rather ensure that more information about the contents of parcels is collected and shared with US authorities, a senior government official in Washington said. If, instead, they abandon shipping to the US, express providers will simply take over their business.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

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