FRANKFURT, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Germany's postal giant DHL announced on Tuesday that it will resume parcel deliveries from Germany to the United States for business customers this Thursday, ending a four-week suspension triggered by new U.S. customs rules.
DHL's Post & Parcel Germany unit, along with other postal providers, halted shipments at the end of August, citing stricter requirements for detailed customs data and upfront duty payments. The suspension followed a change in U.S. customs regulations that effectively abolished the long-standing "de minimis" rule, which had allowed duty-free imports of goods worth up to 800 U.S. dollars.
Under the new framework, which took effect on Aug. 29, all incoming parcels are now subject to customs clearance and tariffs, including at least 15 percent duties on shipments from EU countries. To comply, DHL said it has completely overhauled processes for data collection, customs reporting, and fee payments. The company warned that the new rules will bring "additional obligations and costs for traders."
According to the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in Bern, international postal traffic to the U.S. dropped 81 percent after the new rules took effect.
