In a stunning turn of events, postal services around the globe are slamming the brakes on shipments to the United States this week as confusion swirls over freshly imposed import duties.

The turmoil began when President Trump signed an executive order last month, effectively eliminating a trade loophole known as "de minimis." This loophole had permitted goods valued up to $800 to enter the U.S. without incurring duties since 2016.

Now, the ramifications of this decision are felt worldwide. The elimination of this exemption, which was initially restricted to packages coming from mainland China and Hong Kong in May, is impacting all U.S.-bound shipments, leaving both businesses and consumers scrambling.

Under the new rules, personal gifts valued under $100 will still sail through duty-free, but anything beyond that will be slapped with standard import tariffs, creating uncertainty for global postal operators.

Countries including Belgium, Denmark, and New Zealand have already paused all package deliveries to the U.S., citing the need to adapt their systems to these unpredictable new regulations. Letters and documents remain unaffected, but the halt raises alarms over growing backlogs and potential delays.

Postal services in Germany, France, Britain, and India are set to join the suspension shortly, further complicating the international shipping landscape.

La Poste, France’s national mail service, expressed frustration, stating that the U.S. failed to provide clear guidance or ample preparation time for these customs alterations. New Zealand’s postal authority confirmed that deliveries to all U.S. territories would be "temporarily unavailable" as they scramble to update their systems.

Even logistics giants like DHL are feeling the pressure. The courier company announced they would stop accepting parcels from businesses destined for the U.S. starting Monday until key questions about customs duty collection and required additional data are resolved.

DHL will still accept private packages labeled as gifts under $100, adhering to assurances from the White House.

The White House maintains that abolishing the duty-free exemption aims to combat growing shipping abuses, including the illegal trafficking of materials like fentanyl. They've highlighted that the number of de minimis parcels skyrocketed from 134 million in 2015 to over 1.36 billion in 2024, a surge linked to exploitation of the exemption, particularly by shippers from China.

As the dust settles, the future of international shipping to the U.S. hangs in the balance, leaving both postal services and consumers wondering what this new era of duties will bring.