Australia joins countries suspending post to US
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Australia Post said on Aug 26 that most goods being sent to the United States and Puerto Rico would no longer be accepted “until further notice”.
PHOTO: REUTERS
SYDNEY – Australia joined on Aug 26 a string of countries suspending some postal deliveries to the United States, citing a “complex and rapidly evolving situation” with US President Donald Trump’s looming tariffs.
Australia Post said most goods being sent to the United States and Puerto Rico would no longer be accepted “until further notice”.
Gifts with a value of less than US$100 (S$128), letters and documents were exempt from the suspension.
The move follows similar steps taken by other postal services and mail carriers including in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, India and New Zealand.
Japan also announced that US-bound individual gifts worth more than US$100 and goods for sale would no longer be accepted from Aug 28.
Taiwan said it will stop sending merchandise-type mail to the US from Aug 26.
The Taiwan-owned Chunghwa Post has stopped delivering packages as “the global postal system has not yet provided a service allowing senders to prepay customs duty, and Chunghwa Post’s contracted carriers have also announced suspension of merchandise mail deliveries,” according to the company’s statement on Aug 25.
The Trump administration has said that as at Aug 29, it will abolish a tax exemption on small packages entering the United States.
Australia Post executive general manager Gary Starr said the company was focused on providing “a reliable and competitive postal service for customers”.
“We are disappointed we have had to take this action, 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.” AFP, BLOOMBERG
