Regulatory News
Stay up to date on international trade regulations updates and how they might impact your business.
Latest updates
Decree No. 50 of 2026 introduces a new framework for postal and express shipments into the country.
A simplified tax applies: 60% of the declared value (minimum USD 20) for shipments up to USD 800 and 20 kg, excluding those subject to excise tax.
From May 1, 2026, an annual USD 800 duty-free allowance applies to individuals (max. 3 shipments), not companies. For more information click here.
As of July 1, 2026, the EU will introduce new customs duty rules for low‑value imports from third countries. Click here to learn more about the changes, potential impacts, and what they mean for your international shipments.
Regulatory Updates
We want to keep you informed regarding the entry into force of Resolution 000500 of November 28, 2025, which established the procedure for the settlement and payment of the Tax on Single-Use Plastics (IPUSUI) in import operations. FedEx, in its capacity as an authorized intermediary for the postal traffic and express shipment modality, is in the process of requesting urgent clarifications from the Department of National Taxes and Customs - DIAN on critical aspects of its application.
Click here for more information
Effective February 2, 2026, Eircodes (postcodes) will be required for all FedEx shipments to and from Ireland. Eircode is Ireland’s smart postcode system. It is a 7-digit postcode that is unique and specific to every residential or business postal address.
Without a full and accurate postcode, you will no longer be able to create shipping labels.
To prepare for this change, we recommend that you review and update your address book and/or databases now. To find or check an Eircode, you can use Ireland's Eircode finder tool here. Effective March 1, 2026
Background
France introduced a new national tax on small parcels, named “taxe sur les petits colis” (TPC) on low value imports.
The fee applies to shipments being imported into France (including Martinique, Guadeloupe and Réunion) and Monaco from outside of the European Union (EU) customs territory, with a declared value below €150.
For full details about the "taxe sur les petits colis", please visit the French Customs Page:
Key Changes (Effective March 1, 2026)
Beginning March 1, 2026, France applies a tax on import flows of low value shipments as follows:
- The new tax applies to each item of merchandise at the time of import (defined by a unique Harmonize System code of 6 digits), at a rate of €2 per item.
- If the shipper uses IOSS*: the fee will be collected through the IOSS mechanism.
- If IOSS is not used: the fee will be charged at the time the shipment is imported.
These €2 show as a separate line on the customs declaration, under code D205, and will be consolidated in the duty line on the FedEx duties and taxes invoice.
This fee is expected to remain in place until a future EU wide handling fee is adopted as part of the EU Customs Reform package.
What this means
Non-EU shippers sending to France:
- Low value shipments (<€150) to France will now incur a €2 fee per declaration line.
- Shippers may update pricing, checkout information, and customer communication to reflect these new import costs for buyers in France.
EU-based shippers sending to France:
- No impact on intra-EU shipments.
- The fee applies only to goods imported into France from outside of the EU customs territory.
Importer from France receiving goods from outside the EU:
- French buyers may see the €2 fee included in the total cost of delivery, either collected through IOSS at checkout (if applicable) or upon import.
Status & Next Steps
We are actively monitoring the regulatory developments and further assessing its implications.
Further details will be shared when available.
For the latest updates, please bookmark this page and check back regularly.
* IOSS - Import One-Stop Shop allows sellers to charge VAT at the point of sale and report it via one monthly return in one EU country. France is instructing IOSS Sellers to also account for Handling Tax within their returns.
Mexico enacted an import tariff hike on 1,463 Harmonized System (HS) codes spanning over 17 types of goods. The increase does not apply to originating goods compliant with the Rules of Origin of the 14 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with 52 countries maintained by Mexico. For more information, click here.
Effective February 2, 2026, Eircodes (postcodes) will be required for all FedEx shipments to and from Ireland. Eircode is Ireland’s smart postcode system. It is a 7-digit postcode that is unique and specific to every residential or business postal address.
Without a full and accurate postcode, you will no longer be able to create shipping labels.
To prepare for this change, we recommend that you review and update your address book and/or databases now. To find or check an Eircode, you can use Ireland's Eircode finder tool here.
| Country | Postal Format | Postcode Finder |
| Ireland | 7-digit Eircode | IE Eircode Finder |
The Tax Administration Service (SAT) reported on December 8, 2025, that the mandatory submission of the electronic Value Manifestation (eMV) through the Single Window for Foreign Trade (VUCEM), originally scheduled for Tuesday, December 9, has been postponed and will be effective starting April 1, 2026, to allow for certain regulatory adjustments and for companies engaged in foreign trade to be prepared to comply with this mandatory provision. For more information here.
Effective Jan. 1, 2026, a customs broker’s business number (BN) can no longer be used to release and account for commercial goods with the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) on behalf of an importer. This is a CBSA-mandated requirement affecting all commercial importers, regardless of carrier, and is not a FedEx-driven change.
This means all FedEx Brokerage and Brokerage Inclusive (BI) customers importing commercial goods into Canada must complete the mandatory CARM steps prior to this date to avoid clearance delays and potential penalties.
Visit fedex.ca to help ensure a smooth transition to CARM. For additional support, you may contact CARM@fedex.com.
Effective Dec. 1, 2025
As we work to maintain the highest standards of safety and service for our customers and team members and manage the temporary reduction in fleet capacity while MD-11 safety reviews are underway, we are flexing our integrated air-ground network to provide continued connectivity. Due to the anticipated seasonal volume, the FedEx Money-Back Guarantee will be suspended for packages shipped on or after Dec. 1, 2025, for the following time-definite FedEx services, until further notice.
U.S. domestic:
FedEx First Overnight®
FedEx Priority Overnight®
FedEx Standard Overnight®
FedEx 2Day® A.M.
FedEx First Overnight Extra Hours*
FedEx Priority Overnight Extra Hours*
FedEx Standard Overnight Extra Hours*
*Contract Services
International (all lanes)**:
FedEx International First®
FedEx International Priority®
FedEx International Priority® Express
FedEx International Priority® Freight
FedEx International Priority DirectDistribution®
FedEx International Priority DirectDistribution® Freight
**Where service is offered
Chile’s Tax Authority (SII – Servicio de Impuestos Internos) and Chile’s Customs Authority issued joint Resolution No. 103 (for SII) and No. 3507 (for Customs), which regulates the implementation of import processes for low value goods subject to SII’s Simplified Taxation Regime and the increases Chile’s duty de minimis from US$41 to US$500.
What has changed?
Starting on October 25, 2025, VAT will apply to the sale of low value goods shipped to Chile, when these goods are purchased remotely by natural persons in Chile from foreign e-commerce platform or vendors without legal presence in Chile. VAT will be collected by the foreign vendors at the time of purchase and remitted to SII directly (if the vendor is registered in SII’s Simplified Taxation Regime) or at the border.
Biological materials must be shipped with accurate descriptions of shipment contents and must be labeled, packaged, placarded, and declared in accordance with international, U.S. federal, and state regulations.
For details of what's required see CBP: Clearance of Biological Materials by U.S. CBP or Importing Shipments of Biological Specimens to the U.S.
Background
The U.S. de minimis provides for the duty- and tax-free entry of articles valued at $800 or less that are imported by one person on one day. Effective May 2, 2025, products of China and Hong Kong were no longer eligible for de minimis treatment and became subject to all applicable duties, taxes, and fees.
What has changed?
On July 30, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) titled “Suspending Duty-free De Minimis Treatment for All Countries.” This EO announced the elimination of de minimis treatment under 19 U.S.C. § 1321(a)(2)(C) for imports to the U.S., regardless of value, country of origin, mode of transportation, or method of entry. This change is effective for goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on August 29, 2025.
Effectively, low-value shipments to the U.S. will no longer be eligible for de minimis treatment and will be subject to all applicable duties, taxes, and fees to be paid in accordance with applicable entry and regular payment procedures.
On July 27, 2025, the Mexican government announced an increase in the flat import tax rate from 19% to 33.5%, effective August 15, 2025. Click here for more information.
On April 7, 2025, the Mexican government published regulatory amendments modifying the simplified customs clearance process, adding information requirements for e-commerce transactions involving express shipments to be imported into Mexico. The regulatory amendments took effect on April 8, 2025, while the new information requirements will come into effect starting May 1, 2025. Please click here for more information.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is rolling out an automated capability to enforce the de minimis threshold that allows for the duty and tax-free entry of shipments with an aggregate value of USD 800 or less per person, per day. FedEx customers are reminded that if a recipient’s aggregated imported shipments exceed the $800 de minimis daily threshold, then informal or formal entries may be required—including payment of all applicable duties, taxes, and fees—and may be subject to delays as a result.
While the “per person, per day” de minimis provision is already actively enforced by CBP, we anticipate that automated enforcement of this provision will lead to more consistent and comprehensive treatment by CBP.
To avoid potential clearance delays, FedEx encourages customers to follow these best practices to remain in compliance with CBP guidelines:
- Provide precise cargo descriptions when creating shipments with FedEx. These guidelines include a precise product description, specific monetary value and currency, shipper and recipient details, as well as a Harmonized System (HS) code (where required). Vague merchandise descriptions violate CBP guidelines and may delay clearance.
- Ensure you are using the most updated version of FedEx shipping software.
- If inbound shipments are heading to fulfillment centers:
- Follow CBP’s guidance during shipment creation, including listing the consignee’s name as “[Merchandise Owner Name] c/o [fulfillment center name]”
- Contact your account executive for further details
To learn more about this regulatory update, please click here, and check additional support resources regarding “Global Commercial Invoice Basics”.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced that it will begin rejecting any U.S. import shipment data containing vague or missing descriptions effective November 12, 2024. This rejection will make it impermissible to move shipments into the U.S. until complete data is submitted.
FedEx customers are reminded of the importance of providing precise cargo descriptions when creating their shipments with FedEx to ensure their shipments comply with CBP’s regulations. After the effective date, any shipments identified by CBP as containing vague or missing descriptions will be rejected by CBP and may incur delays.
Precise descriptions accurately describe what the goods are made of and their intended use. Examples include “children’s toys made of plastic” rather than “toys”, and “women’s dresses made of 60% cotton 40% polyester” rather than “clothing”.
For guidance on how to provide an accurate goods description, please visit our fedex.com page. Additionally, click here to find support resources to learn more about this regulatory update.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia requires all customers shipping to and within the Kingdom to enter the “short address code/ National address” of the receiver/ consignee, to ensure faster delivery of your shipments.
This requirement is already in effect and, and has now become mandatory to follow, for all residents, citizens and companies operating inside Saudi Arabia.
If you have not already done so, please reach out to the receiver/ consignee of your shipment based in Saudi Arabia, for their “short address code/ National address” so that you may input the code when creating your shipments.
For more information on the “short address code/ National address”, please click here.
If you have further inquiries, please contact your Sales Representative or our Customer Service Support.
Exporting Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulated products to the US has always required shippers to provide mandatory product information set by the FDA on their shipping documentation.
Recently the FDA increased the number of data elements required to complete shipping entries which included the addition of FDA Product and Intended Use Codes, preferably as part of the accompanying commercial invoice or on a separate information sheet. These are compulsory and make entering UNKNOWN (UNK) in any category no longer acceptable.
The new additions apply to all FDA-controlled commodities - medical devices, human and animal drugs and biological products - with the biggest impact being on medical devices. If any part of the accompanying shipping documentation is inaccurate or incomplete, such shipments will no longer be accepted for entry into the US.
As a result, in order to avoid shipment delays, we encourage all FedEx customers exporting FDA-regulated products to make sure their shipping documentation is accurate, complete and fully FDA-compliant.
For more information on how to check that your shipping documentation complies with the new regulations, please click here. Alternatively you can follow the guidelines provided on the FDA website.
IATA has reported that lithium batteries are now the preferred energy source for many consumer goods ranging from mobile phones and children's toys to cars and e-bikes. Such shipments are however considered dangerous goods and can pose a safety risk if not prepared in accordance with transport regulations. Click here to get more information.
Mitigate risk and improve safety
From now on, when you prepare shipments containing lithium batteries Section II (UN3481 & UN3091) using FedEx Ship ManagerTM at fedex.com please indicate which type(s) of lithium batteries you have included in your shipment.
As Section II lithium batteries are less regulated than other type of lithium batteries, your selection will help us increase their visibility throughout our network; and ensure the safety and integrity of your dangerous goods shipments until their final destinations.
Easy to use
- In the header at the top of this page, select Ship and then Ship online – all features
- Enter your login & password, if you are not logged in yet
- Select Ship and then Create a Shipment to complete your shipment details
- Under the Special Services (optional) section, select “Lithium Batteries/Cells” and the description that applies to your shipment:
- Lithium Ion Batteries/Cells packed with equipment (UN 3481 - Packing Instruction 966)
- Lithium Ion Batteries/Cells contained in equipment (UN 3481 - Packing Instruction 967)
- Lithium Metal Batteries/Cells packed with equipment (UN 3091 - Packing Instruction 969)
- Lithium Metal Batteries/Cells contained in equipment (UN 3091 - Packing Instruction 970)
To learn more
- Contact your FedEx Express Customer Services and ask for the Dangerous Goods Specialist
- Read more about lithium batteries in the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations Manual available for purchase at iata.org. This manual contains information on lithium battery packing, marking, labelling & documentation.