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The US is eliminating its $800 duty-free import threshold. This isn't radical. It mostly brings America in line with what other major markets already do (or are

The US is eliminating its $800 duty-free import threshold. This isn't radical. It mostly brings America in line with what other major markets already do (or are about to do). EU: Only packages under €150 ($160) are duty-free, and they're planning to scrap even that. Since 2021, they collect VAT on everything, no matter how small. Japan: Has a ¥10,000 ($70) threshold now, but already announced they're killing it by late 2026. China: Basically no threshold at all. You only avoid duty if the calculated tax is under $7. Even their special e-commerce imports pay 70% of normal VAT.

intermerda 1y ago
> In Executive Order 14193 of February 1, 2025 (Imposing Duties To Address the Flow of Illicit Drugs Across Our Northern Border), I declared a national emergency regarding the unusual and extraordinary threat to the safety and security of Americans, including the public health crisis caused by fentanyl and other illicit drugs and the failure of Canada to do more to arrest, seize, detain, or otherwise intercept drug trafficking organizations, other drug and human traffickers, criminals at large, and illicit drugs Yes, totally normal and not radical at all. I really don't get why HN posters feel the need to polish a turd.
- jalapenos 1y ago
  Those Canadians - gonna getcha
- ghufran_syed 1y ago
  could you maybe respond to the point made in the comment you are replying to? If it’s a good idea for all those other countries, why does the idea become a “turd” when america does it? is this some kind of “manifest destiny” (to be dumber than other countries)???
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
jalapenos 1y ago
Unsurprising, since if I were an importer, and I saw I can get tax-free just by breaking things up into small quantities, guess what I'm doing
- andrewinardeer 1y ago
  Paying postage/shipping multiple times?
Fischgericht 1y ago
- €150 is higher than 0€ - Also, you are fully wrong. The EU has an import duty of 0% on pretty much anything, especially electronics. Here, the de minimis is about the VAT. Which you therefore also are wrong about. No, there is no VAT on items below €150 - because that what our de minimis is about. Also, import VAT is easy to process. Because it's always the same amount for everything - 19% in Germany, for example. For tariffs you need to know what is INSIDE the package. - China's high tech economy does not depend on small imports. Also, they do have de minimis for import VAT, and 0% import duty on lots of stuff (again, including electronics) The problem for low-value items is not the import duty. It's the delay of processing. I am running an electronics development company in the EU. To us it's mission critical to be able to get devkits, samples, prototypes, spare parts etc within 5 days from China. I would not mind having to pay $1 of duty on a $10 part. I would be in huge trouble having to wait for that part 30 days. Also: As always, Trump gave nobody any time whatsoever to prepare. The US now suddenly will have to hire thousands of customs employees. New machinery to transport all of this. New warehouses for storing stuff that sits for customs processing. You could not be more off here. This will turn out to be a gigantic disadvantages for huge bunch of the innovative parts of the US economy. In our industry, nothing matters more than time to get parts. As you have noticed: All other countries have LOWERED de minimis, and they did this with 12-18 months of advance notice. Thailand last year tried to get rid of de minimis. They reverted the decision after ONE WEEK. You are completely underestimating the amount of the US shooting into their own feet AGAIN here. In these days of global shipping volume you MUST have de minimis a country, or else you will be de-coupled from global R&D markets.
- TheOtherHobbes 1y ago
  I'm in the EU, and in this corner of it it's damn near impossible to import anything, no matter how small. I would be delighted if de minimis rules applied to imports. But everyone I know who has tried to import trivial items - books, small presents, and such - has been slapped with wildly unpredictable and excessive costs, and long delays while the paperwork clears. As for the US - yes, clearly the goal is the destruction of government, health, education, research, and the economy in general. Whatever the people nominally in charge think they're doing, the people who are advising them and setting policy are either cranks or traitors. Given their links to other countries, it's hard not to suspect the latter.

intermerda 1y ago

> In Executive Order 14193 of February 1, 2025 (Imposing Duties To Address the Flow of Illicit Drugs Across Our Northern Border), I declared a national emergency regarding the unusual and extraordinary threat to the safety and security of Americans, including the public health crisis caused by fentanyl and other illicit drugs and the failure of Canada to do more to arrest, seize, detain, or otherwise intercept drug trafficking organizations, other drug and human traffickers, criminals at large, and illicit drugs Yes, totally normal and not radical at all. I really don't get why HN posters feel the need to polish a turd.

jalapenos 1y ago
Those Canadians - gonna getcha
ghufran_syed 1y ago
could you maybe respond to the point made in the comment you are replying to? If it’s a good idea for all those other countries, why does the idea become a “turd” when america does it? is this some kind of “manifest destiny” (to be dumber than other countries)???
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]

jalapenos 1y ago

Unsurprising, since if I were an importer, and I saw I can get tax-free just by breaking things up into small quantities, guess what I'm doing

andrewinardeer 1y ago
Paying postage/shipping multiple times?

Fischgericht 1y ago

- €150 is higher than 0€ - Also, you are fully wrong. The EU has an import duty of 0% on pretty much anything, especially electronics. Here, the de minimis is about the VAT. Which you therefore also are wrong about. No, there is no VAT on items below €150 - because that what our de minimis is about. Also, import VAT is easy to process. Because it's always the same amount for everything - 19% in Germany, for example. For tariffs you need to know what is INSIDE the package. - China's high tech economy does not depend on small imports. Also, they do have de minimis for import VAT, and 0% import duty on lots of stuff (again, including electronics) The problem for low-value items is not the import duty. It's the delay of processing. I am running an electronics development company in the EU. To us it's mission critical to be able to get devkits, samples, prototypes, spare parts etc within 5 days from China. I would not mind having to pay $1 of duty on a $10 part. I would be in huge trouble having to wait for that part 30 days. Also: As always, Trump gave nobody any time whatsoever to prepare. The US now suddenly will have to hire thousands of customs employees. New machinery to transport all of this. New warehouses for storing stuff that sits for customs processing. You could not be more off here. This will turn out to be a gigantic disadvantages for huge bunch of the innovative parts of the US economy. In our industry, nothing matters more than time to get parts. As you have noticed: All other countries have LOWERED de minimis, and they did this with 12-18 months of advance notice. Thailand last year tried to get rid of de minimis. They reverted the decision after ONE WEEK. You are completely underestimating the amount of the US shooting into their own feet AGAIN here. In these days of global shipping volume you MUST have de minimis a country, or else you will be de-coupled from global R&D markets.

TheOtherHobbes 1y ago
I'm in the EU, and in this corner of it it's damn near impossible to import anything, no matter how small. I would be delighted if de minimis rules applied to imports. But everyone I know who has tried to import trivial items - books, small presents, and such - has been slapped with wildly unpredictable and excessive costs, and long delays while the paperwork clears. As for the US - yes, clearly the goal is the destruction of government, health, education, research, and the economy in general. Whatever the people nominally in charge think they're doing, the people who are advising them and setting policy are either cranks or traitors. Given their links to other countries, it's hard not to suspect the latter.