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Confusion has reigned since the U.S. ended the tariff exemption
for packages worth less than $800 on Aug. 29. In September, the
Universal Postal Union reported 88 of its 192 member countries
had suspended all or some of its postal services to the U.S. to
have time to adjust their shipping procedures.
On Friday, the UPU said “only a handful” of those had resumed
operations to the U.S.
The organization said traffic to the U.S. on Oct. 3 was down
70.7% compared with volume one week before the regulatory
changes. On Aug. 29, when the exemption ended, volume plummeted
81% from a week earlier.
Bern, Switzerland-based UPU said it is rolling out technology
that will help members calculate, collect and remit required
duties to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection through the
UPU’s Customs Declaration System.
“Postal services are essential services," said Lati Matata,
Director of the UPU’s Postal Technology Centre, in a statement.
The technology, an application programming interface, or API,
will allow "every postal operator in (UPU's) network – no matter
how big or small – to meet customs requirements to ensure that
citizens worldwide, including U.S citizens, receive their postal
items,” Matata said.
Since the exemption ended, purchases that previously entered the
U.S. without needing to clear customs now require vetting and
are subject to their origin country’s applicable tariff rate,
which can range from 10% to 50%.
While the change applies to the products of every country, U.S.
residents will not have to pay duties on incoming gifts valued
at up to $100, or on up to $200 worth of personal souvenirs from
trips abroad, according to the White House.
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