WILLEMSTAD – Cpost International has temporarily suspended all mail and package shipments from Curaçao to the United States. The move follows a decision by the U.S. government to abolish the so-called de minimis exemption, which until now allowed packages valued under $800 to enter the country tax-free.

As of today, a minimum import duty of 10 percent will be applied to all goods shipped to the U.S., with rates potentially higher depending on the product type and country of origin. According to Cpost, the suspension is a direct result of this U.S. policy change and lies outside the company’s control.

Cpost is not alone. Other international postal carriers — including PostNL, Deutsche Post/DHL, Royal Mail, Austria Post, and Japan Post — have also halted package shipments to the United States. The suspension applies exclusively to U.S.-bound shipments; deliveries to all other countries continue as normal.

Customers in Curaçao still have the option of making U.S. online purchases through Cpost’s Puntomio service, which remains operational for deliveries to the island.

The impact is also being felt in Aruba, where Post Aruba has announced an immediate halt to U.S.-bound shipments in order to avoid confusion among customers. Discussions are ongoing between the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and U.S. authorities to clarify the new rules and seek a long-term solution.