Trump eliminates tariff exemption for low-cost shipments globally

United States President Donald Trump announced this Wednesday the suspension of the tariff exemption for low-cost international commercial shipments, a measure that will come into effect on August 29th.

The executive order signed by Trump will impose tariffs on all imported products with a value of less than 800 dollars, including those sent through international postal mail. The new tariff regime will calculate taxes according to the value of the package and its country of origin. The White House argued that this policy seeks to close a “legal loophole” in effect since the 1930s, which allowed the entry of millions of small packages with fewer customs controls. According to the government, this exception posed risks to health, national security, and the economy.

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Between 2015 and 2024, the number of small shipments to the U.S. multiplied by ten, going from 134 million to more than 1.36 billion annually, according to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This decision expands on a previous measure from May 2, when Trump had already eliminated the tariff exemption for shipments from China, mainly affecting platforms like Shein and Temu.