WASHINGTON/LONDON/LOS ANGELES —
U.S. President Donald Trump paused his administration’s repeal of duty-free treatment of low-cost packages from China on Friday, giving the Commerce Department time to make the order workable, after the rapid change sparked chaos for customs inspectors, postal and delivery services and online retailers.
The cancellation of de minimis means low-value e-commerce packages arriving in the United States with goods from China must use the “formal entry” process that requires additional information and duties before entering the country — a more time-consuming process.
The stop and restart of the United States Postal Service acceptance of those packages set off a swarm of disruptions that backed up Customs clearance for packages — even those that had paid duties — at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.
