The United States eliminated this Friday the well -known exemption ‘de minimis’ for imports of products from China y Hong Kong whose value is lower than 800 dollars.
This exemption, which previously allowed entry without low -value packages tariffs, had benefited e -commerce giants such as Temu and Shein, among others.
The President Donald Trump signed an executive decree in which he established that the elimination of the exemption would enter into force to the 00:01 hours of the May 2. According to this order, the imported goods sent by means other than the postal network that have a value equal to or less than $ 800 will become subject to all applicable tariffs, while postal shipments with a value equal to or less than $ 800 will be subject to A 30% tariff of its value or 25 dollars by shipment, amount that will increase to 50 dollars By shipment from June 1.
The Hinrich Foundation, an organization based in Asia, recalled that the disposition ‘de minimis’officially known as the Section 321 of the 1930 Tariff Lawwas created in a very different context from the current one. Its original purpose was to avoid discomfort to American tourists who had memories home.
However, with the rise of electronic commerce, especially of Chinese companies such as Shein, Temu and Aliexpress of Alibaba, this exemption began to play a crucial role by allowing low value goods to go through simplified procedures and costs, promoting the growth of small and medium exporters.
The exemption was under the scrutiny in recent years due to the increase in Chinese electronic commerce, which caused large volumes of low -value products to arrive without tariffs to the US, which generated concerns about unfair competition and lack of control in shipments, subjected to more lax inspections than other products.
According to data from the Customs Office and Border Protection (CBP), USA prosecuted more than 1.3 billion of shipments ‘de minimis’ In 2024, which represented vertiginous growth since the 139 million processed in 2015.
According to the White House, the CBP processes more than four million shipments ‘de minimis’ Every day, a figure that reflects the magnitude of cross -border electronic commerce.
He end of exemption It was framed by Washington within his fight against China’s role in the synthetic opioid crisis in the United States, and presented himself as a “Fundamental step to counteract the current health emergency” derived from the illicit flow of these products to the country.
US authorities partly link the increase in synthetic opioids in the US market with imports that came without tariffs through this mechanism.
For its part, the China Light Industry Federation severely criticized the elimination of exemption, indicating that this decision “The normal commercial order between China and the United States undergoes largely“The agency said that this measure” seriously affects the global industry “and” greatly harms the rights and interests of consumers, including Americans. “
With the definitive elimination of the Minimis’cross -border electronic commerce, especially with ChinaYou will experience significant adjustments. As of May 2, low -value goods merchants must face a new reality in which the products imported to the US will be subject to much higher rateswhich could affect both Chinese companies and US consumers who benefit from cheaper products.
(With EFE information)
