The Montserrat Postal Service has announced the suspension of all parcels and small packets bound for the United States, including the United States Virgin Islands.
The move announced on Monday comes into effect immediately and until further notice, in accordance with article 17-013 of the Universal Postal Union Convention Regulations.
The decision follows Executive Order 14324, signed by the U.S. Administration on July 30, which ends the long-standing de minimis rule that had allowed packages valued under US$800 to enter the U.S. without duty.
As of last Friday, August 29, all international parcels must be cleared under the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) tariff system.
Under the new policy, only designated international carriers or “qualified parties” will be authorized to collect and remit customs duties on postal shipments.
Ordinary letter mail is not affected.
Montserrat’s announcement mirrors that of other Caribbean postal authorities who implemented similar suspensions as the new U.S. regulations take global effect, early last week.