Cancellation of tariff exemptions for small-scale imports in the U.S. affects businesses

• Exemptions from duties for imported goods valued up to $800 will be canceled.
• National postal services in many countries have suspended shipments to the U.S.
• Small enterprises may suffer from new duty collections on imports.

This week, in the United States, the exemption from duties for small-scale imports is being canceled, which is part of President Donald Trump's policy aimed at reducing dependence of the country on imported goods.

According to an executive order signed last month, all international shipments valued up to $800 will incur duty exemptions starting from Friday. This has been in effect for more than two years under the law on tax reductions approved by Congress.

Previously, goods that arrived in the U.S. without duty procedures will now be subject to verification and taxation based on the tariffs of exporting countries, which may vary from 10% to 50%. Over the next six months, carriers may charge a fixed duty fee per package in the range of $80–200 instead of the collection based on value.

On this change, national postal services in more than ten countries have already reacted, announcing a temporary suspension of shipments to the U.S. due to complications in processing and demands for payment. Among these countries are Japan, Switzerland, Australia, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

The Trump administration believes that the previous exemption was a loophole for foreign companies that evade duties, and also for criminals who use it for smuggling into the U.S. Prior to this, some companies in the U.S. that rely on imports may suffer from new collections.

According to data, in 2024, nearly 60% of imported shipments arrived from China and Hong Kong. The quantity of goods that were exempted from duties increased from 134 million in 2015 to 1.36 billion in 2021.

Some entrepreneurs, such as Christian Treynor, owner of a modern shoe company in Connecticut, express concern about the impact of new collections on their business. He notes that changes may lead to increased prices on goods that he imports from Europe, which will reduce accessibility for his clients.

Other businesses may also face difficulties due to new duty collections. For example, Ken Huening, owner of the company CoverSeal, plans to raise prices or eliminate free shipping due to new duties on goods arriving from Mexico. He states that establishing production in the U.S. may take a long time.

Tags: USA/Politics/Economy