European postal services are preparing to suspend package deliveries to the United States as a significant duty-free exemption approaches its expiration date. The imminent regulatory change is causing widespread disruption in international shipping, with multiple European postal agencies announcing temporary halts to their US-bound parcel services [1]. This development comes amid broader global trade tensions and shifting tariff landscapes.
The impact of new customs regulations, set to take effect August 29, has prompted European shipping companies to pause their operations while they adapt their systems to comply with the changed rules. The expiring exemption had previously allowed low-value packages to enter the United States without duties, but its termination is forcing a complete overhaul of shipping procedures [2].
Recent trade data reveals concerning trends, with tariffs as a percentage of imports quadrupling in just three months, reaching over 10% for the first time in two decades [3]. This dramatic increase is creating ripple effects throughout global supply chains and affecting various industries.
The European Union has been working to maintain stable trade relations with the United States, with European Commission President von der Leyen defending recent trade agreements as necessary for preventing escalation. She argues that avoiding a full-scale trade war between the EU and US is crucial, noting that such a conflict would primarily benefit Moscow and Beijing [4].
The effects of increasing tariffs are already visible in various regions, including Mexico's border factories, where job losses and production decreases have been reported due to new trade barriers [5]. Meanwhile, some companies are adapting to the new reality, as exemplified by Chinese copper manufacturer Wellascent's strategic decision to establish production facilities in Texas to navigate tariff challenges [6].
- Boxed in by shifting tariff rules, European shippers pause some U.S.-bound parcels
- A duty-free exemption is about to expire amid Trump’s trade war. So postal services across Europe will halt shipments to the U.S
- Warning Signs Abound In Trade Data As Fed Hints At Lowering Interest Rates
- Moscow and Beijing would have cheered EU-US trade war, von der Leyen says
- Borderlands Mexico: Tariffs drive job losses at Mexico’s border factories
- Texas factory gives Chinese copper firm an edge in tariff war
