Europe’s postal service providers are pausing U.S. shipments just days before a major customs change takes effect. The decision stems from former President Donald Trump’s executive order that permanently eliminates the de minimis exemption for foreign packages valued under $800, impacting every country, not just China. This rule officially goes into effect this Friday. Shipments under this threshold had entered the U.S. without customs duties or detailed clearance procedures for over a century. This change now requires each shipment to be assessed and potentially subject to fees, making it difficult for postal services across Europe to adapt. 9 European countries (Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Switzerland) have paused outbound U.S. deliveries as of Monday due to this sudden shift in customs regulation. The main issues hindering this transition are: lack of clarity regarding customs fee collection methods, who collects those fees, and how the data is transmitted to American authorities. This has led to DHL, Correos, and La Poste halting mail services. While these companies are still operating (though at a higher cost), many are struggling to implement new protocols. 9 countries have paused their U.S. shipments. Some have halted shipments entirely (like Finland’s Posti) while others are waiting for more clarity regarding the process before resuming operations. The suspension will likely impact small businesses reliant on international sales from Europe. While some large companies that regularly ship goods in bulk containers to U.S. warehouses might not be affected by this change, smaller businesses and online retailers who rely on de minimis exemptions may feel the brunt of the transition, as their shipments are now subjected to more complex customs procedures.