U.S. Customs and Border Protection

News Summary:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) procedures for international postal shipments will introduce stricter compliance requirements and higher duties from July 24, 2026, following the suspension of the de minimis exemption, which an ecommerce logistics expert warns will increase costs and administrative burdens for UK exporters and importers. Earlier on July 23, CBP's new postal informal entry procedures, known as Entry Type 13, came into effect, established in late June to bring international mail into parity with other American entry modes after the indefinite suspension of the $800 de minimis exemption. The same day, a federal appeals court formally ruled that CBP officers may manually scroll through a traveler's smartphone at the border without suspicion of wrongdoing, while requiring individualized justification for using forensic extraction software. Previously, in June 2026, CBP released an updated version of its Operational Guidance for Importers, which clarifies the distinction between an exception review (formerly an admissibility review) and an applicability review, offering best practices and clarification on regulatory circumstances for importers. This update coincided with multiple developments in June that signaled a renewed emphasis by CBP, the Office of the United States Trade Representative, and the White House on identifying, detaining, and restricting imports linked to forced labor, despite comparatively subdued public detention statistics under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act over the past year.