22-08-2025
This temporary suspension follows an Executive Order issued by the President of the United States, which eliminates the existing duty-free threshold for international postal shipments, effective 29 August 2025. Under this new policy, all postal items sent to the U.S., regardless of value or origin will be subject to customs duties. This significant change affects individuals and businesses globally, including those in Malta who send parcels and goods through postal networks to the United States. Partner cargo carriers and airlines have now informed MaltaPost that they are also suspending the carriage of postal shipments destined for the United States until a workable process is put in place.
The suspension is a temporary and necessary measure to allow for the development, testing, and implementation of new cross-border technical and airline carrier solutions to comply with the new U.S. requirements. Postal operators across Europe are working together to meet these obligations as quickly as possible. However, several key implementation details remain unclear, including how U.S. Customs imposed duties will be collected and what data must be submitted. Limited technical guidance was only issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on 15 August 2025, leaving insufficient time for full implementation by the imposed deadline.
Source: Malta Post