88 Countries Suspend Postal Services to US Amid Tariff Dispute

International postal services to the United States have collapsed by more than 80% after Washington imposed additional customs duties, prompting 88 countries to suspend deliveries entirely or partially, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) said Saturday.

Masahiko Metoki, Director General of the UPU, the United Nations agency overseeing global mail cooperation, said in a statement that efforts are underway to develop a rapid technical solution to restore service to the U.S.

The disruption follows the Trump administration’s late-July announcement that it would end tax exemptions on small parcels entering the United States starting August 29. The policy shift triggered a wave of suspensions from national postal services spanning France, Germany, Italy, Japan, India, and Australia, which declared they would no longer accept U.S.-bound parcels, at least temporarily.

According to UPU data, mail traffic to the United States fell by 81 percent on August 29 compared to the previous week. The agency confirmed that 88 postal operators had notified it of halting some or all of their U.S. services pending a resolution.

Among the operators suspending services are Deutsche Post, Royal Mail in the U.K., and two carriers in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Founded in 1874 and headquartered in Bern, Switzerland, the UPU sets the rules for international mail exchange and provides guidance to improve postal services worldwide.