National post services in several other European countries also suspend parcel services to US.
Italy’s national postal service has temporarily suspended the sending of packages to the United States ahead of new tariffs on the import of goods worth less than $800.
The move by Poste Italiane coincides with similar measures by other national postal services in Europe, including in France, Germany, Spain and the UK, amid confusion over new import duties.
Last month US president Donald Trump signed an executive order scrapping the long-standing ‘de minimis’ exemption on tariff duties for low-value packages coming into the United States, with effect from 29 August.
A total of 1.36 billion packages entered the US in 2024 under this exemption, according to data from the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency.
In a statement on its website, Poste Italiane said it is seeking “suitable solutions” but pointed out that “the specifications and technical procedures were only published by US Customs on 15 August”.
“In the absence of different instructions from US authorities and/or exceptions to the above-mentioned deadlines, Poste Italiane will be forced, like other European postal operators, to temporarily suspend the acceptance of all shipments containing goods destined for the United States, starting 23 August”, the statement reads.
Poste Italiane said the suspension will not affect the mailing of letters or the Poste Delivery International Express service which follows a different logistics process.
“Mail shipments not containing goods will continue to be accepted,” the Poste Italiane website explains, adding: “Customers will be promptly informed and updated on all measures that will be implemented.”
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