(a) License requirements. As authorized by section 6 of the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended (EAA) and by the Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917, as amended, you will need a license to export or reexport all items subject to the EAR (see part 734 of the EAR for the scope of items subject to the EAR) to Cuba, including any release of technology or source code subject to the EAR to a Cuban national, except as follows:
(1) License exceptions. You may export or reexport without a license if your transaction meets all the applicable terms and conditions of any of the following License Exceptions. To determine the scope and eligibility requirements, you will need to turn to the sections or specific paragraphs of part 740 of the EAR (License Exceptions). Read each License Exception carefully, as the provisions available for embargoed countries are generally narrow.
(i) Temporary exports and reexports (TMP) by the news media (see §740.9(a)(9) of the EAR).
(ii) Operation technology and software (TSU) for legally exported commodities or software (see §740.13(a) of the EAR).
(iii) Sales technology (TSU) (see §740.13(b) of the EAR).
(iv) Software updates (TSU) for legally exported software (see §740.13(c) of the EAR).
(v) Parts (RPL) for one-for-one replacement in certain legally exported commodities (see §740.10(a) of the EAR).
(vi) Baggage (BAG) (see §740.14 of the EAR).
(vii) Governments and international organizations (GOV) (see §740.11 of the EAR).
(viii) Gift parcels and humanitarian donations (GFT) (see §740.12 of the EAR).
(ix) Items in transit (TMP) from Canada through the U.S. (see §740.9(b)(1)(iv) of the EAR).
(x) Aircraft, vessels and spacecraft (AVS) for certain aircraft on temporary sojourn; equipment and spare parts for permanent use on a vessel or aircraft, and ship and plane stores; vessels on temporary sojourn; or cargo transiting Cuba on aircraft or vessels on temporary sojourn (see §740.15(a), (b), (d), and (e) of the EAR).
(xi) Permissive reexports of certain spare parts in foreign-made equipment (see §740.16(h) of the EAR).
(xii) Exports of agricultural commodities, classified as EAR99, under License Exception Agricultural Commodities (AGR) and certain reexports of U.S. origin agricultural commodities, classified as EAR99, under License Exception AGR (see §740.18 of the EAR).
(xiii) Commodities and software authorized under License Exception Consumer Communications Devices (CCD) (see §740.19 of the EAR).
(xiv) License Exception Support for the Cuban People (SCP) (see §740.21 of the EAR).
(2) Deemed exports and deemed reexports. A license is not required to release technology or source code subject to the EAR but not on the Commerce Control List (i.e., EAR99 technology or source code) to a Cuban national in the United States or a third country.
(b) Licensing policy. Items requiring a license are subject to a general policy of denial, except as follows:
(1) Medicines and Medical Devices. Applications to export medicines and medical devices as defined in part 772 of the EAR will generally be approved, except:
(i) To the extent restrictions would be permitted under section 5(m) of the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended (EAA), or section 203(b)(2) of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act;
(ii) If there is a reasonable likelihood that the item to be exported will be used for purposes of torture or other human rights abuses;
(iii) If there is a reasonable likelihood that the item to be exported will be reexported;
(iv) If the item to be exported could be used in the production of any biotechnological product; or
(v) If it is determined that the United States government is unable to verify, by on-site inspection or other means, that the item to be exported will be used for the purpose for which it was intended and only for the use and benefit of the Cuban people, but this exception shall not apply to donations of medicines for humanitarian purposes to a nongovernmental organization in Cuba.
(2) Exports and reexports that generally will be approved. Applications for licenses to export or reexport the following generally will be approved:
(i) Telecommunications items that would improve communications to, from, and among the Cuban people;
(ii) Commodities and software to human rights organizations or to individuals and non-governmental organizations that promote independent activity intended to strengthen civil society in Cuba;
(iii) Commodities and software to U.S. news bureaus in Cuba whose primary purpose is the gathering and dissemination of news to the general public;
(iv) Agricultural items that are outside the scope of agricultural commodities as defined in part 772 of the EAR, such as insecticides, pesticides and herbicides, and agricultural commodities not eligible for License Exception AGR;
(v) Items necessary to ensure the safety of civil aviation and the safe operation of commercial aircraft engaged in international air transportation, excluding the export or reexport of such aircraft leased to state-owned enterprises; and
(vi) Items necessary for the environmental protection of U.S. and international air quality, waters, or coastlines (including items related to renewable energy or energy efficiency).
(3) Exports and reexports that may be authorized on a case-by-case basis.
(i) Applications for licenses to export or reexport items to meet the needs of the Cuban people, including exports and reexports of such items to state-owned enterprises, agencies, and other organizations of the Cuban government that provide goods and services for the use and benefit of the Cuban people may be authorized on a case-by-case basis. This policy of case-by-case review includes applications for licenses to export or reexport items for:
(A) Agricultural production, artistic endeavors (including the creation of public content, historic and cultural works and preservation), education, food processing, disaster preparedness, relief and response, public health and sanitation, residential construction and renovation and public transportation;
(B) Wholesale and retail distribution for domestic consumption by the Cuban people;
(C) Construction of facilities for treating public water supplies, facilities for supplying electricity or other energy to the Cuban people, sports and recreation facilities, and other infrastructure that directly benefits the Cuban people; and
(D) Items that will enable or facilitate export from Cuba of items produced by the private sector.
Note 1 to paragraph (b)(3)(i): Licenses issued pursuant to the policy set forth in this paragraph generally will have a condition prohibiting both reexports from Cuba to any other destination and uses that enable or facilitate the export of goods or services from Cuba, that primarily generate revenue for the state.
Note 2 to paragraph (b)(3)(i): The policy of case-by-case review in this paragraph is intended to facilitate exports and reexports to meet the needs of the Cuban people. Accordingly, BIS generally will deny applications to export or reexport items for use by state-owned enterprises, agencies, and other organizations that primarily generate revenue for the state, including those engaged in tourism and those engaged in the extraction or production of minerals or other raw materials. Applications for export or reexport of items destined to the Cuban military, police, intelligence or security services also generally will be denied. Additionally, pursuant to section 3(a) of the National Security Presidential Memorandum on Strengthening the Policy of the United States Toward Cuba (NSPM), dated June 16, 2017, BIS generally will deny applications to export or reexport items for use by entities or subentities identified by the Department of State in the Federal Register or at https://www.state.gov/e/eb/tfs/spi/cuba/cubarestrictedlist/index.htm, unless such transactions are determined to be consistent with sections 2 and 3(a)(iii) of the NSPM.
(ii) [Reserved]
(4) Temporary sojourns of aircraft and vessels. Applications for exports or reexports of aircraft or vessels on temporary sojourn to Cuba, other than aircraft operated by certificated air carriers or cargo vessels for hire, are subject to a general policy of denial unless consistent with the foreign policy or national security interests of the United States. Applications for exports or reexports of aircraft operated by certificated air carriers or cargo vessels for hire on temporary sojourn to Cuba may be authorized on a case-by-case basis.
Note 1 to paragraph (b)(4): Applications for exports or reexports of private and corporate aircraft, cruise ships, sailboats, fishing vessels, and other similar aircraft and vessels on temporary sojourn to Cuba will generally be denied.
(c) Definitions. For purposes of this section, “U.S. person” means any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, as described in §515.329 of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (31 CFR 515.329).
(d) Related controls. OFAC maintains controls on the activities of persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction, wherever located, involving transactions with Cuba or any Cuban national, as provided in 31 CFR part 515. Exporters and reexporters should consult with OFAC for further guidance on its related controls.
[61 FR 12802, Mar. 25, 1996]
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