U.S. Postal Services Halted by Over 90 Customs Officers
The Universal Postal Union (UPU) has announced that 88 operators have suspended their postal services with the United States, following the American administration's decision to remove the tariff exemption for small postal parcels. This decision has sparked a wave of announcements from postal services in several countries, leading to a significant drop in international traffic.
The UPU, an international organization with 192 member countries, sets the rules for international postal exchanges. The director-general of the UPU, Masahiko Metoki, made this announcement in a statement. The UPU is now working on a solution to allow mail to be sent to the United States again.
The imposition of new tariffs by Washington has affected traffic in various ways. For instance, traffic to the United States decreased by 81% from August 29 compared to the previous Friday. Countries in the European Union (EU) have seen a 15% decrease, while India has experienced a 50% drop.
The tariff rates for these small postal parcels are now the same as other imports from the country of origin. This means that the cost of sending a parcel to the United States has increased significantly. Only shipments between individuals valued at less than $100 (€86) remain exempt from the new tariffs.
Some of the companies that have suspended their postal services to the United States include German Deutsche Post and the British postal operator Royal Mail. France's La Poste has also suspended the shipment of parcels to the United States due to the tightening of customs rules.
However, not all is lost. POST Luxembourg, in cooperation with its partner DHL, has developed a fast new technical solution for shipping parcels to the United States. This solution aims to bypass the challenges posed by the suspended postal services and the new tariffs.
The UPU exchanges data between postal operators via its electronic network. It is hoped that this network will play a crucial role in finding a solution that will allow mail to be sent to the United States again. The UPU is developing a new technical solution to address this issue.
In conclusion, the removal of the tariff exemption for small postal parcels has led to a significant drop in international traffic to the United States. However, efforts are being made to find a solution that will allow mail to be sent to the United States again. The UPU, along with various postal operators, is working diligently to find a solution that will benefit both senders and recipients of international mail.
