The US Postal Service (USPS) has resumed accepting parcels from mainland China and Hong Kong, reversing a quick suspension triggered by new commerce measures launched by President Donald Trump.
The transfer follows a dramatic shift in America’s import duties, with the White Home scrapping an exemption that beforehand allowed packages value underneath $800 (£641) to enter the nation tax-free.
The speedy coverage change brought on non permanent disruption to cross-border shipments. USPS acknowledged the transient suspension of parcel deliveries from China however stated it’s now “working closely” with US Customs and Border Safety (CBP) to gather tariffs effectively and minimise delays. Letters are unaffected by the brand new guidelines, however the import of shopper items, notably vogue objects, now faces greater taxes and stricter checks.
On-line retailers Shein and Temu are amongst people who had benefited most from the previous duty-free threshold, which had additionally helped them develop quickly within the UK and the EU. Critics argue that waiving duties on small parcels undercuts home retailers and deprives governments of significant tax income. Nick Stowe, chief govt of Monsoon Decorate, praised the US clampdown, stating that Shein “exploited this loophole” to construct a “business at an industrial scale”.
Different international locations are following the US instance. The EU has plans to extend customs checks on so-called “low-value” shipments—at the moment exempt on objects value lower than €150 (£124)—and has warned vogue platforms resembling Shein and Temu they are going to be held liable if unsafe merchandise are offered on their web sites. In keeping with the European Fee, 4.6 billion low-value objects have been imported into the EU final 12 months, with 91% originating in China.
UK retailers, together with Superdry boss Julian Dunkerton, need related reforms to shut what they see as an unfair hole in import responsibility. Below British guidelines, parcels value lower than £135 despatched on to particular person buyers are at the moment duty-free. “The rules weren’t made for a company sending individual parcels [and] having a billion-pound turnover in the UK without paying any tax,” Dunkerton stated, arguing that e-commerce giants ought to pay their “fair share”.
Washington’s broader tax overhaul features a 10% tariff on all items imported from China. In response, Beijing has threatened retaliatory measures in opposition to US companies. With tensions escalating on each side, and President Trump saying he’s in “no rush” to fulfill Chinese language president Xi Jinping, additional disruption to world provide chains might lie forward.
