UPU report: After the US and EU adjusted their low-value duty-free policies, inbound parcel volumes fell by 70.3% and 31%, respectively

The Universal Postal Union’s 2026 State of the Postal Sector report shows that postal item volumes entering the US in September 2025 fell 70.3% year over year, while parcel volumes sent to the EU in July 2026 fell 31% year over year. The US ended its de minimis exemption for imported goods valued under $800 on August 29, 2025. Postal operators in Germany, Japan, Switzerland and other countries subsequently suspended acceptance of parcels destined for the US.