The United States has scrapped a rule that allowed small packages worth $800 or less to enter duty-free. The exemption, which covered more than a billion parcels last year, ended today, with a six-month transition to a new tariff regime.
According to reports, tariffs will be charged either at a flat rate of $80 to $200 per item, based on package value and reciprocal rates set by Washington.
The Trump administration says ending the “de minimis exemption” will cut the United States trade deficit and curb narcotics smuggling through the mail. The rule change also closes a loophole used by Chinese e-commerce giants like Shein and Temu to bypass tariffs