UN post agency says 25 states suspend US shipments

GENEVA: A UN agency responsible for the postal sector said on Tuesday that 25 of its member states have suspended goods consignments to the United States amid uncertainty after President Donald Trump's administration scrapped a customs tax rule that exempted small packages from duty.

The Universal Postal Union, a Switzerland-based agency promoting cooperation between postal services of its 192 member countries, said it conveyed their concerns about disruption in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on 25 August 2025.

It did not name the countries although Australia, Norway and Switzerland and others have already announced suspensions publicly.

The news comes after Trump's administration said last month it would suspend the global "de minimis" exemption, which also allows minimal paperwork, for international shipments under $800, effective August 29.