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Posted by Ralph Wood on May 19, 2025, 7:03:58, in reply to "Re: Eliminating De Minimis doesn't sound like a good idea"
More on fee collection:
https://www.easyship.com/blog/explaining-the-customs-clearance-process
Most stuff is already DDP. And DDU is not handled by customs. It is passed off to a broker (and put in storage, which adds to the costs...)
The only bog down I see is folks who never had to pay customs before because of de minimis now having to deal with it. Without help, they'll screw up the paperwork, not charge, or not charge correctly, and it ends up DDU, and the receiver is getting billed for it. Most de minimis stuff is/was airmail, not coming off ships in bulk in containers. The few times I shipped internationally, the window clerk at the Post Office walked me through the forms. There is software shippers can buy. There are companies which provide help with the forms and fees. If the shipper "gets it right," CBP will not get bogged down. And if it is wrong from a fee/paperwork aspect, it goes to brokers (and ends up the receiver's problem.) 
Previous Message
First off, one of the complaints against ending de minimis is that it will reduce volumes. More expensive means fewer sales.
Secondly, with de minimis in effect, part of the process was having to check for (and catch) packages that were subject to duties which were trying to evade them. Now, everything is subject, so that can be eliminated.
https://pe.usps.com/text/imm/immc7_001.htm
Third, as noted by the video linked, CBP has advance info on all shipments, and now carriers will be expected to have paid before the shipment is received. It then will still need to go through the process in the video. So, no change there, but possibly with lower volumes and better paperwork. More orderly. Might actually speed things up?
Here's how it was 5 years ago. 8 minute video:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DoY7SxrzNTc&pp=0gcJCfcAhR29_xXO Previous Message
Getting rid of this will result in the Customs People being snowed under in package/fee processing. I haven't heard anything about hiring more help to handle the increased work load.
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