Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI:
POSTAL services in Australia and Switzerland have become the latest to announce a suspension of deliveries to the United States, joining a growing list of countries halting shipments in response to the Trump administration’s sudden tariff changes. The move comes ahead of new levies set to take effect on August 29.
Several other countries, including India, the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Germany, Italy, and Denmark, had already declared similar pauses in shipping goods to the United States. Australia Post confirmed that it will “temporarily partially suspend postal sending to the United States (US) and Puerto Rico, effective 26 August 2025, until further notice.”
The agency said the decision was necessary due to “recent significant changes the US Government has made to customs and import tariff rules for parcels sent to the US.”
It explained that the changes include the suspension of the De Minimis exemption for inbound goods valued below $800 and a requirement that tariffs be prepaid before items arrive in the US.
As a result, Australian businesses will be unable to send products to American customers using Australia Post from Tuesday onwards. Until now, parcels worth less than $800 (about AUD 1,230) entered the US tax-free, a loophole heavily relied upon by Australian retailers selling abroad, according to local media reports.
That exemption will formally end on August 29, when all low-value parcels will be subjected to tariffs or flat fees. Swiss Post of Switzerland announced it will no longer accept postal consignments destined for the United States, with the exception of urgent express mail such as official documents and certificates.
