Customs clearance policies in the destination country may change over time. Below is Weefreight’s sharing on this topic, which we hope will be helpful.
Rising trade protectionism: To protect domestic manufacturing and retailers, many countries will adjust their customs clearance policies. For example, in 2025, the United States announced the elimination of the exemption policy for small packages under $800 (the T86 customs clearance model). Although it was briefly restored, this exemption officially ended for goods from mainland China and Hong Kong on May 2nd. This caused customs inspection rates to soar from less than 5% to over 40%, significantly extending customs clearance times. The European Union also plans to eliminate its duty-free policy for imported goods under €150. Mexico eliminated its duty-free policy for goods under $50 on January 1, 2025, and Vietnam eliminated its duty-free policy for low-value goods imported by express delivery on February 18, 2025.
Impact of Cross-Border E-Commerce Development: The surge in cross-border e-commerce parcel volume has put pressure on customs regulations in destination countries, prompting policy adjustments. For example, the rise of the fully managed cross-border e-commerce model over the past two years has led to a significant increase in cross-border e-commerce air parcel shipments to the US, with at least 5 million cross-border e-commerce parcels shipped daily via air. A large number of these parcels, valued at under $800, enter the US duty-free market, placing significant pressure on customs officials at major ports like Los Angeles and New York, prompting the US government to reconsider its customs clearance policies.
Policy Adjustments and Improvements: Customs clearance policies in some countries are adjusted and improved based on actual implementation. For example, the US rescinded duty-free treatment for low-cost Chinese parcels under $800, along with the corresponding T86 customs clearance model, effective February 4, 2025. However, due to implementation difficulties, it was temporarily reinstated three days later. The revised executive order states that while the duty-free treatment will continue to apply, it will be rescinded once the Secretary of Commerce notifies the President that relevant preparatory work is complete. This demonstrates that policies are subject to adjustment during implementation based on various factors.
Addressing concerns about tax leakage: Some countries believe the influx of low-priced goods represents underpricing and tariff evasion, and are adjusting their policies to prevent this. For example, the European Commission believes the influx of goods below the €150 tax-free threshold is disrupting market order. The underpricing and tariff evasion of some goods further exacerbate unfair competition, and therefore intends to cancel this tax-free policy.
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