AusPost halts many US services due to tariff rules
Melissa Meehan |
Australia’s postal service will stop sending many items to the United States until further notice, due to recent changes to import tariffs and customs rules.
Australia Post announced the temporary ban on Tuesday, saying it was effective immediately.
The government-owned entity’s decision is in response to recent significant changes made by the US government to customs and import tariff rules for parcels sent to America.
Those changes include the US suspending the “De Minimis” exemption for inbound goods valued below $US800 (about $A1200) and requiring the pre-payment of tariffs prior to items arriving.
The temporary suspension will impact business contracts, MyPost business and retail customers sending goods through the postal network to the US.
Gifts under $US100 (about $A150), letters and documents are unaffected.
Australia Post is not the only postal operator to pause operations to the United States.
Postal services across Europe have already suspended most parcel shipments to the US, including France’s La Poste, Germany’s Deutsche Post, Spain’s Correos, Poste Italiane and the Belgian, Swedish and Danish postal service.
Austria’s Österreichische Post and the UK’s Royal Mail are expected to stop sending parcels to the US by the end of August.
In the meantime, Australia Post is working with Zonos, an authorised US Customs and Border Protection third-party provider, on a solution for business customers.
Australia Post executive general manager for Parcel, Post and eCommerce Services, Gary Starr, said it was working on a quick solution.
“We are disappointed we have had to take this action,” he said.
“However, due to the complex and rapidly evolving situation, a temporary partial suspension has been necessary to allow us to develop and implement a workable solution for our customers.
“Australia Post continues to work with US and Australian authorities and international postal partners to resume postal service to the US as a priority.”
It’s believed Australian businesses will still be able to send parcels to the US through more expensive commercial models like DHL and FedEx.
Australia Post’s temporary partial suspension also includes parcels to Puerto Rico, as it is a US Customs territory and has also been impacted by tariff changes.
Postal goods sent to the US and Puerto Rico lodged on or after Tuesday, August 26, will not be accepted by Australia Post until further notice.
It comes just a day after Australia Post announced it would hire 3500 seasonal team members ahead of the busy Christmas period.
Customers seeking an update can check the Australia Post website or call 13 POST (13 7678).
AAP
