Bpost stops sending parcels to US due to tax uncertainty
From Friday, bpost will temporarily stop sending parcels to the US due to uncertainty about the new American rules for international shipments, Het Laatste Nieuws writes.
Until now, international shipments of goods worth less than 800 dollars were exempt from tax in the US. This exemption will disappear on 29 August. All parcels will then be subject to taxes and additional costs, regardless of where they were sent from.
But the US government has not yet provided clarity on how exactly the taxes should be calculated and collected. According to PostEurop, the umbrella organisation of European postal companies, the first technical details were shared on August 15, which "barely leaves time to prepare".
Temporary measure
To protect its customers, Thursday is the last day on which a parcel can be sent to the US, bpost says. This exceptional measure is meant to "avoid parcels being blocked or unexpected costs for our customers", said spokesperson Mathieu Goedefroy.
The measure is temporary, the company says. It is working with international partners to find a solution as quickly as possible to restart shipments.
"We regret this situation," Goedefroy said. "But as long as there is no clarity, we cannot take the risk."
© BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS
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