How to Handle the New Global Tariffs: A Detailed Guide and How MDE Supports You Every Step of the Way

August 1, 2025 marks a turning point for international shipping. The major economic powers and trade blocs have announced substantial changes to their customs policies. These adjustments affect everything from everyday purchases on e‑commerce platforms to the import of specialized products. In this article we analyze each measure, with practical examples, and explain how MDE can be your best ally in getting your parcels to their destination without surprises. This article reflects the situation in August 2025; several of these measures have since changed, and we point this out in each section.

1. United States: goodbye to the 800 USD allowance and aggressive new tariffs

What changes

• 50% tariff on copper products: Starting August 1, 2025, the U.S. applied a 50% tariff to semi-finished copper products and derivatives.

• Reciprocity Tariffs: Effective August 7, 2025, reciprocal tariffs ranging from 10% to 50% depending on the country of origin came into force: Canada 35%, Brazil 50%, India 25% and the European Union 15%, among others. They were imposed under the IEEPA statute; on February 20, 2026 the U.S. Supreme Court held that the IEEPA does not authorize the President to impose tariffs, and Executive Order 14389 ended those duties. The U.S. has since introduced other tariffs and the rates in force keep changing: check the one that applies to your purchase with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before shipping.

• Suspension of de minimis: As of August 29, 2025, the 800 USD exemption was eliminated for all countries and all modes of entry, including postal mail. In June 2026 CBP made the suspension indefinite.

Practical example

Imagine you buy a 700 USD item from a German store. Until August 28, 2025, if it reached the U.S. via a private courier, you paid no tariffs thanks to de minimis. From August 29, 2025, it must be declared and the tariff that applies to that product and origin paid (in August 2025, up to 15% for EU goods, depending on the product).

How can MDE help you?

• Addresses in several countries: Use your address in France, Italy, Germany or Spain to group several purchases. This way, you can consolidate them into a single shipment and cut transport costs; MDE handles repackaging and secure storage until you decide to dispatch.

• Use of postal services: The elimination of de minimis also reached postal mail, which has its own entry procedure in the U.S. With MDE you can choose shipping by postal mail, depending on the options available.

• Assistance with international purchases: If the store does not accept your payment method, MDE can buy the item for you and charge it to your account, as its Buy-for-me payment management service offers. This prevents you from missing out on deals at stores that only accept local cards.

• Dashboard and transparency: Before dispatching your parcel, you can see estimates of duties and taxes from your dashboard, decide the departure date and even choose the carrier that suits you best.

2. Brazil: the South American giant under scrutiny

In August 2025 the U.S. applied, under the IEEPA, an additional 40% tariff to most Brazilian products, bringing the total to 50%. Certain sectors – aircraft, energy, orange juice, pig iron – were exempt, as were goods shipped before August 6 and received before October 5, 2025. On February 20, 2026 Executive Order 14389 ended that surcharge; check the tariff currently in force for Brazil before shipping.

Practical example

August 2025 example: buying gourmet Brazilian cocoa on August 5 and shipping it to the U.S. allowed you to pay the previous tariff (10%) if it shipped that same day and arrived before October 5. After that, the same cocoa carried a 50% tariff.

How can MDE help you?

• Scheduling shipments: From your MDE dashboard you can schedule the parcel's departure to decide when it leaves, for example ahead of any deadline or announced tariff change.

• Alternative routes: If you need Brazilian products, MDE can ship them first to a European warehouse and then re-forward them as part of a consolidated shipment together with other European products. Keep in mind that the U.S. tariff depends on the country of origin of the goods, not on the country from which they are re-forwarded.

• Extended storage: MDE's warehouses have 24/7 surveillance. If you decide to wait for a better rate to be negotiated, you can store your Brazilian products securely until the situation changes.

3. India: the 25% tariff of August 2025

As of August 7, 2025, the U.S. applied a 25% reciprocal tariff to Indian products. Goods shipped before that date and received before October 5, 2025 kept the previous tariffs. That tariff, based on the IEEPA, was ended by Executive Order 14389 on February 20, 2026: check the tariff currently in force before shipping.

Practical example

A purchase of cotton garments shipped before August 7 carried a 10% tariff; the same purchase shipped on August 8 paid 25%.

How can MDE help you?

• Early grouping of purchases: If you buy items in India, MDE can receive them in its Hong Kong or Turkey warehouse and group them to ship together when it suits you.

• Look for alternative sourcing: The purchasing assistance team can suggest suppliers in countries with lower tariffs (for example, Vietnam or Bangladesh), handling the payment if your cards are not accepted.

• Assisted purchase service: For Indian stores that do not accept international payments, MDE offers a service in which it buys for you and settles with its local payment methods. That way, you don't miss discounts or exclusive deals.

4. Mexico: increase in the global courier rate

As of August 15, 2025, the global rate for parcels arriving by courier from countries other than the U.S. and Canada, such as European ones, rose from 19% to 33.5%; this rate replaces the tariff and the VAT, it is not added to them. Courier shipments from the U.S. or Canada (USMCA) of up to 50 USD are exempt from tariff and VAT; between 50 and 117 USD they pay a global rate of 17% and above 117 USD, 19%. By postal mail, shipments of up to 50 USD per recipient arrive without taxes from any origin and, up to 1,000 USD, pay a single 19% rate.

Practical example

A 120 USD cosmetics set sent by courier from Europe paid 33.5% (40.20 USD) starting August 15, 2025. By contrast, a 45 USD parcel of books sent by postal mail arrives without taxes.

How can MDE help you?

• Purchases from the U.S. (USMCA): With MDE's U.S. warehouse, your purchases from U.S. stores follow USMCA treatment: up to 50 USD without tariff or VAT, 17% between 50 and 117 USD and 19% above 117 USD (courier shipments).

• Choose the optimal shipping method: From Europe, postal mail is usually the cheapest option in taxes too: up to 50 USD per recipient with no taxes and, above that, a single 19% rate up to 1,000 USD, compared with 33.5% for courier. The actual service depends on the weight and size of the parcel. MDE guides you on the differences between courier and postal mail.

• Storage and batch shipping: If you prefer to wait for the rate to drop, you can store your products in its logistics centers and dispatch them when convenient, with no abusive storage costs.

5. European Union: end of the €150 threshold and new synergies with Canada

Regulation (EU) 2026/382 abolished the duty exemption for consignments of up to €150. From July 1, 2026 until July 1, 2028, a customs duty of €3 per item applies to consignments of up to €150 that are distance sales. At the same time, the EU‑Canada AEO mutual recognition agreement, in force since August 1, 2025, simplifies customs for certified operators.

Practical example

Buying a t-shirt for €30 from a store in the United Kingdom shipped to an EU country can mean, since July 1, 2026, a customs duty of €3 per item, plus VAT. Operators with AEO certification benefit from prioritised treatment at borders when exporting to Canada.

How can MDE help you?

• Pre-payment of taxes: MDE lets you pay VAT in advance to avoid customs holds and unexpected cash movements.

• Warehouses in Europe: You can choose the EU country of shipment that offers you the best tax treatment or the least customs congestion (for example, Poland or the Czech Republic). With its multiple warehouses across the continent, MDE handles your parcel in the most convenient country.

• Simplified processing to Canada: If you export to Canada and are an AEO operator, MDE coordinates departure from its Spanish or French warehouses so you benefit from mutual recognition, speeding up clearance.

6. Japan and the EU: agreements with the U.S. that reduce uncertainty

In July 2025 Japan agreed on a maximum tariff of around 15% for most of its products, while the EU‑U.S. agreement set a uniform 15% tariff for 70% of European exports. The reciprocal tariffs behind those figures were ended by Executive Order 14389 on February 20, 2026, and U.S. tariffs on both have changed since: check the ones currently in force before shipping.

How can MDE help you?

• Identifying 0% or 15% categories: MDE reviews the lists of products with 0% tariff so that your Japanese or European purchases enter at the lowest possible cost.

• Asia‑Europe consolidation: If you are in Latin America and need Japanese and European products, you can gather them in a European warehouse and ship them together to the U.S. in a single consolidated shipment.

• Real-time cost visibility: MDE's dashboard shows you the applicable rate before confirming the shipment, letting you compare whether it's worth waiting for a promotional period.

7. Philippines and Indonesia: new tariffs and bilateral liberalization

In July 2025 the U.S.–Philippines agreement set a 19% tariff on Philippine goods while the Philippines agreed to eliminate some tariffs on U.S. products. With Indonesia, it is Indonesia that eliminates tariff barriers on over 99% of U.S. products in exchange for 19% on Indonesian exports. The reciprocal tariffs behind these figures were ended by Executive Order 14389 on February 20, 2026: check the ones currently in force before shipping.

How can MDE help you?

• Warehouses in Hong Kong and China: You can centralize your Southeast Asian purchases in the Hong Kong warehouse, where MDE consolidates and re-forwards them to the U.S. or Europe with proper labeling and documentation.

• Advice on health and phytosanitary requirements: MDE's team reviews the certificates required for food, cosmetics and textiles coming from the Philippines or Indonesia, ensuring their acceptance at customs.

• Management of alternative suppliers: If a tariff like the 19% of 2025 makes your products more expensive, they help you find suppliers in countries with more favorable agreements and make the payment locally.

8. United Kingdom: streamlined processes for postal operators

The British Customs (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2025 create an authorization regime for foreign postal operators that allows them to continue using simplified declarations for postal items leaving Great Britain.

How can MDE help you?

• Certified postal operators: MDE works with authorized operators so that your parcels are processed with fewer documentary requirements, reducing delays and avoiding additional costs.

• Your own British address: When you sign up for its membership, you get a postal address in the United Kingdom that you can use for local purchases. MDE takes care of receiving your parcels, storing them and re-forwarding them wherever you need.

• European bank account and card: In addition to the address, they offer the possibility of opening a bank account and Visa card in Europe in your name, which makes payment easier at stores that don't accept foreign cards and avoids hidden fees.

Conclusion: Strategy and confidence with MDE

The new tariff reality demands smart planning. Knowing the rates is not enough; it is crucial to have a logistics partner that offers addresses in several countries, secure storage, parcel consolidation, purchasing assistance and flexibility in shipping methods. That ally is MDE.

Instead of resigning yourself to paying more, explore the creative solutions:

• Plan your shipments ahead of the key dates.

• Consolidate and reroute to take advantage of exemptions.

• Choose the most convenient route and carrier.

• Use postal services or alternative warehouses depending on the destination country.

• Let MDE buy for you when payment methods are an obstacle.

With the right information and the support of MDE, every new customs obstacle becomes an opportunity to optimize your shipments and keep enjoying your international purchases with peace of mind.

Sign up now, and receive your addresses in Europe, America and Asia . Enjoy a 14-day trial with a money-back guarantee. Our customer reviews are our greatest testament to quality and satisfaction.

Questions? Contact us. Our customer service team is ready to help you.