Why is DHL discontinuing packages over $800 to the U.S. and how can it affect your purchases?
The US trade war against the rest of the world has forced the courier service DHL Express to implement a new delivery policy for packages entering the US.
The policies being implemented by President Donald Trump’s administration to right the wrongs he sees in the world trade are having knock on effects beyond just raising the cost to import goods into the United States. New custom rules have lowered the threshold for how much the contents of a package can be worth before it triggers automatic formal entry processing.
In response, DHL Express has announced that it will suspend for the time being delivery of business-to-consumer shipments worth more than $800 to individuals beginning April 21.
DHL shipment under $800 will not be affected
DHL, a division of Germany’s Deutsche Post, said that business-to-business shipments worth more than $800 will continue but could face delays. The move by the courier service comes after US regulators lowered the threshold to trigger an automatic formal entry process from $2,500 to $800 on April 5.
The company said in a statement that the measure is temporary. Package shipments worth less than $800 will not be affected.
Likewise, DHL Express told Reuters that it would continue to process package deliveries from Hong Kong to the United States “in accordance with the applicable customs rules and regulations.” Additionally, the company will work with its customers to “help them understand and adapt to the changes that are planned for May 2.”
That notice came after Hongkong Post announced last week that it had suspended shipments of goods sent by sea to the United States after Washington canceled tariff-free provisions for packages from China and Hong Kong. The Chinese courier service accused the US of “bullying.”
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