International shipping requirements are continuing to evolve, and several significant regulatory changes will affect parcels sent from Australia to the United States, Thailand, New Zealand and the European Union from 2026 onward.

Businesses and individuals sending goods internationally should be aware of these changes to avoid delays, additional costs, or rejected shipments.

These changes represent a significant shift in international shipping compliance, particularly for businesses engaged in cross-border e-commerce. Requirements may continue to evolve, and senders should ensure their declarations and pricing models reflect these upcoming obligations.

Below is a summary of the key updates and what they mean for senders.

United States: Removal of “Gift” Declaration for Business Shipments

US Customs and Border Protection are reassessing compliance with recently introduced tariff measures. As part of this process, business customers are no longer permitted to declare goods sent to the United States as “Gifts”.

Effective immediately, business shipments to the US must not be declared as gifts, as such declarations will not be accepted by US Customs authorities.

From early 2026, this change will be enforced across online business lodgement systems, including eParcel, Parcel Send and MyPost Business, as well as through commercial lodgement channels. The “Gift” option will be removed from customs declaration forms and manifests for business customers.

All goods with a commercial value must be declared as a “Sale of Goods”, including:

• Promotional items

• Samples

• Goods sent to influencers in exchange for services

Individuals sending personal gifts may continue to do so via Australia Post retail counters.

Thailand: Removal of De Minimis Exemption

From 1 January 2026, Thailand will remove its de minimis exemption for low-value imported goods.

Currently, goods valued between 1 THB and 1,500 THB may enter Thailand duty-free. Under the new rules:

• All goods valued above 1 THB sent via the postal channel will be subject to duties and taxes

• Only goods valued under 1 THB and documents will remain duty-exempt

Duties and taxes will be calculated by the Thai Customs Department prior to processing by Thailand Post. The sender will not be required to pay these charges. Instead, the recipient must pay the applicable customs duties, taxes and postal processing fees, either via QR code or in cash upon delivery.

New Zealand: New Charges from April 2026

The New Zealand Government has announced new charges that will apply to both postal and commercial goods entering New Zealand from April 2026.

Further details will be published closer to implementation. Senders are encouraged to monitor official guidance via the International Post Guide and New Zealand Government channels.

European Union: €3 Duty on Low-Value E-Commerce Parcels

From 1 July 2026, the European Union will introduce a €3 customs duty per item on low-value e-commerce parcels (goods valued below €150) sent from outside the EU.

This measure will apply to individual items, not consignments, and will impact many small e-commerce shipments. Additional information is available through EU pre-arrival customs guidance.