Postal traffic into the United States has suffered a dramatic collapse, plunging by more than 80% since late August 2025, after the Trump administration abruptly ended a decades-old tariff exemption for low-value imports. The move, which took effect on August 29, has sent shockwaves through the global postal system, leaving mailrooms quiet and e-commerce businesses in turmoil across continents.
The Universal Postal Union (UPU), the United Nations agency tasked with coordinating international mail, sounded the alarm as soon as the new rules hit. According to data exchanged through the UPU’s electronic network, postal traffic from the organization’s 192 member countries to the U.S. dropped a staggering 81% in just one week after the regulations came into force. The numbers are stark: what was once a steady flow of letters and packages has slowed to a trickle, with 88 postal operators worldwide suspending some or all services to the U.S. until further notice, as reported by the UPU and news agency AFP.
The policy change stems from an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump on July 30, 2025, which abolished the so-called "de minimis" exemption. Since 1938, this rule had allowed goods valued at $800 or less to enter the U.S. without incurring customs charges. The Trump administration argued that the exemption had become a loophole, exploited by foreign businesses to dodge tariffs and, in some cases, by criminals to smuggle illicit drugs into the country. But the abrupt end of this exemption has left postal agencies and their customers scrambling to adjust.
“Carriers, such as airlines, signaled they were unwilling or unable to bear this responsibility,” the UPU said in a statement, referring to the new requirement that transport carriers or other "qualified parties" approved by U.S. Customs and Border Protection must now collect and remit customs duties. Foreign postal operators, meanwhile, have struggled to establish connections with these approved parties, causing what the UPU described as “major operational disruptions.”
Postal services in major economies—including Germany’s Deutsche Post, Britain’s Royal Mail, France’s La Poste, India Post, Australia Post, Japan Post, and Italy’s Poste Italiane—have all announced they would stop accepting most parcels bound for the U.S. due to the policy change. Even smaller operators in places like Macau and the Cook Islands have joined the suspension, according to the UPU. In total, 78 UN member states and nine other territories have been affected.
The impact is not just a matter of numbers. For many small businesses, especially those relying on cross-border e-commerce, the sudden halt in postal traffic to the U.S.—which previously made up about 15% of global postal flows, according to the UPU—has been a body blow. Of that inbound U.S. traffic, 44% came from Europe, 30% from Asia, and 26% from elsewhere around the world. Most of these parcels were small packages, the bread and butter of global online retail.
“The changes have complicated the handling of international mail and increased costs for foreign postal operators,” the UPU explained. Several countries have flagged both operational and financial difficulties in continuing shipments under the new regime. For customers, this means not only delays but also higher prices and more red tape when trying to send or receive goods from overseas.
Before the new rules took effect, the UPU had raised concerns directly with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, warning of the potential for widespread disruption. The organization also criticized the lack of sufficient time and guidance for its members to adapt to the new collection procedures. In the words of UPU Director General Masahiko Metoki, “We are working on the rapid development of a new technical solution that will help get mail moving to the United States again.”
To address the crisis, the UPU is fast-tracking a “Delivered Duty Paid” (DDP) solution, which will be integrated into its customs declaration platform. This system would allow postal operators to calculate and collect the required duties from customers at the point of origin, theoretically smoothing the way for compliant shipments. As of September 5, postal operators can now access a duty calculator through a software interface designed for use at retail counters. Still, the search for a longer-term fix is ongoing, with the UPU convening consultations among its members to hammer out interim arrangements.
Notably, the new U.S. regulations do not apply to gifts valued at up to $100 or personal souvenirs worth up to $200 brought back by U.S. residents from abroad, as clarified by the White House. But for the vast majority of international e-commerce parcels—those small packages that previously zipped through customs without a hitch—the landscape has changed overnight. Purchases that once entered the U.S. duty-free must now face scrutiny and are subject to tariffs ranging from 10% to 50%, depending on their country of origin.
The disruption comes at a time of already heightened trade tensions between the U.S. and many of its partners. Tariff hikes on a range of goods have drawn criticism from businesses and governments alike, with many warning that the new postal rules could further strain international relations and harm global commerce. The UPU, founded in 1874 and based in Bern, Switzerland, has long set the rules for international mail exchanges and made recommendations to improve services. Now, it finds itself in the eye of a storm, trying to broker a solution that will restore the flow of mail while respecting the U.S. government’s new requirements.
For now, the world waits. The UPU’s technical teams are racing against the clock, and postal operators are eager for clarity. As Metoki put it, “We are working as quickly as possible, but a timeline for full resumption of services is not yet available.”
As the dust settles, one thing is clear: a policy change intended to close a loophole and tighten customs enforcement has had far-reaching, and perhaps unintended, consequences for global communication and commerce. The story of how—and when—international mail to the U.S. will recover is still unfolding, watched closely by businesses, governments, and ordinary people hoping for the return of reliable cross-border delivery.
