Inbound mail traffic to the United States has fallen by more than 80 percent since the Trump administration scrapped a tariff exemption for low-value imports, according to the United Nations Postal Organization.

The Universal Postal Union (UPU) announced Saturday that it has begun implementing new measures to help postal operators around the world calculate and collect duties or taxes after the United States scrapped a “de minimis exemption” for low-value packages.

Eighty-eight postal operators have reported to the UPU that they have suspended some or all mail services to the United States until a solution is found for inbound packages worth $800 or less — which were previously exempt from customs duties.

“The global network has seen a near-total halt in postal traffic to the United States since the new rules came into effect on August 29, 2025, as for the first time the burden of collecting and transmitting customs duties was placed on carriers or parties approved by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection,” the UPU said in a statement.

The union added that information exchanged between postal operators via its electronic network showed that traffic from 192 member countries — almost every country in the world — was down 81 percent on August 29 compared to a week earlier.

The Bern, Switzerland-based organization said “major operational disruptions” had occurred because airlines and other carriers said they were unable or unwilling to collect such duties, and foreign postal operators had not established links with CBP-approved companies.

Before the move went into effect, the Postal Union sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning of the implications.

The de minimis exemption has been in place since 1938, and the government says it has become a loophole that foreign businesses have exploited to evade tariffs and criminals have used to smuggle drugs into the United States.

Purchases that previously entered the United States without clearance will now be subject to the tariff rate of their country of origin, which can range from 10 percent to 50 percent.

While the change applies to products from all countries, the White House said U.S. residents will still not be subject to duty on gifts up to $100 or personal souvenirs up to $200 from foreign trips.

The Universal Postal Union said its members had not received sufficient time or guidance to follow the guidelines outlined in the executive order signed by US President Donald Trump on July 30 to end the exemption for low-value goods.

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