There was a lot of talk in 2025 about the abolition of de minimis in the United States: what is behind this term, what did it mean and is it a purely American concept?
What is (or rather was) de minimis?
Behind this term hides the sesame of small packages: below a certain threshold, you enter without customs duties or cumbersome formalities. It's not difficult to see the benefits of this facility, particularly in the context of e-commerce. However, contrary to popular belief, this was a historic measure (first implemented in 1938) and, in its modern version, raising the threshold to $800 in 2016 was the spark that exploded usage on the e-commerce side.
What has changed in the United States in 2025
On May 2, 2025, the first brake: end of de minimis for shipments from China and Hong Kong. Then, from August 29, 2025, extension to the rest of the world: all shipments valued at over $800 are now subject to customs duties and formalities for conventional entry (end of accelerated/simplified processing for e-commerce).
Important detail: for the international postal network, a six-month transition period allows you to choose between an ad valorem duty or a flat rate of $80/$160/$200 per parcel, depending on the rate applicable to the country of origin. At the end of this period, only ad valorem taxation will be accepted.
Why was this removal necessary?
Because volumes have changed scale. The number of packages benefiting from de minimis has risen from around 139 million in 2015 to 1.36 billion in 2025. This is a perfect illustration of the shift from traditional commerce to online consumption, boosted by marketplaces.
The American authorities are also highlighting control issues: product safety, the fight against drugs, fraud prevention.
On the revenue side, the first few months of the China/Hong Kong measure have already brought in around $500 million, and some financial media estimate that the fees collected could bring in as much as an additional $10 billion a year to the state coffers once generalized, although the latter figure will certainly be weighted in the future.
Are the United States the only country with this exemption?
No. Other countries apply similar exemptions for low-value shipments:
- the European Union waives duty (but not VAT) on orders under €150,
- Japan for shipments under 10,000 yen,
- Australia to some extent under AU$1,000.
However, the United States had set an exceptionally high threshold for what is supposed to be "low-value shipments".
It should be noted that the vast majority of countries which have adopted this type of measure are currently considering reducing their scope or even eliminating the advantage induced by them, either by abolishing the measures altogether or by introducing flat-rate taxation.
The real dynamic: e-commerce vs. ×10 parcels
You'd think that the end of de minimis would be due solely to the growth of e-commerce. But the numbers just don't add up.
Yes, U.S. e-commerce is growing strongly (representing around 16.3% of retail sales in Q2 2025), but it hasn't grown tenfold in ten years.
On the other hand, fragmented shipments optimized to stay under the fateful $800 threshold increased tenfold.
The double benefit was clear: duty savings + virtually no customs controls.
Raising the threshold sent a signal, and the market responded - perhaps too well, in hindsight.
What this means in concrete (and lasting) terms
In the United States, the rule is once again simple: duties are payable and a traditional import declaration is required, even under $800, with all that this implies in terms of costs and increased documentary/physical checks (fluidity undermined).
Concerning the postal network, the transitional period of $80/160/200 is temporary and should not be misleading: ad valorem taxation will become the norm after six months.
Operators who fail to anticipate the quality of their data (value, origin, description, EAD type pre-announcement) will see their parcels blocked.
On the EU side, even if the abolition of duties for parcels under €150 (subject to conditions) has not yet been implemented, the political trajectory is clear: align the tax/customs treatment of small consignments with that of others, and make the platforms contribute to the costs of control.
The last word
De minimis was created to avoid overloading customs with trifles.
In 2025, these "trifles" weigh billions, and air transport has transformed the world into a gigantic logistical village.
What was once a tool for streamlining administration is now becoming a colossal loss of revenue - and this is logically when politics takes over.
In this landscape, the winners will be those who control their data and compliance.
They won't necessarily be the cheapest... but they'll be ready for the customs requirements that lie ahead.
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