TODAY THE US ended tariff exemptions on small packages entering the country from abroad, causing the receiver to pay a 15% tax on packages worth over $100 (€85).

The tax exemption previously applied to all packages valued under $800 ($685), but Donald Trump’s administration ended the exemption due to claims low-value shipments have been used to evade tariffs and smuggle drugs.

The move caused some 25 countries to suspend parcel shipments to the US earlier this week.

An Post told The Journal that they are maintaining parcel services to the US as usual while they seek “a solution” to the new rules.  

In a statement, the postal service said that while a large amount of parcels being posted from Ireland to the US are gifts with stated values lower than $100, the change “will disrupt some Irish trade into the US, and risks causing confusion, delay and inconvenience for sending and receiving customers”. 

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“Rather than simply suspend all parcel services to the US, as some other European postal carriers are planning, An Post is actively seeking a solution for Irish companies selling into the US through the postal service so that we can support them and the Irish economy by keeping trade routes open.”

This will involve the receiving US customers having to pay the required duties locally before delivery can be completed, An Post said.

“We want to assure Irish customers that we are working on their behalf and will advise them of the new arrangements for their US parcels in the coming days. An Post is also directly contacting Irish business customers who sell goods into the US through the postal service.”

With additional reporting from Jane Moore