§ 515.577 Authorized transactions necessary and ordinarily incident to publishing.

(a) To the extent that such activities are not exempt from this part, and subject to the restrictions set forth in paragraphs (b) through (d) of this section, persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States are authorized to engage in all transactions necessary and ordinarily incident to the publishing and marketing of manuscripts, books, journals, and newspapers in paper or electronic format (collectively, “written publications”). This section does not apply if the parties to the transactions described in this paragraph include the Government of Cuba. For the purposes of this section, the term “Government of Cuba” includes the state and the Government of Cuba, as well as any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including the Central Bank of Cuba; prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba, as defined in § 515.337 of this part; prohibited members of the Cuban Communist Party, as defined in § 515.338 of this part; employees of the Ministry of Justice; and any person acting or purporting to act directly or indirectly on behalf of any of the foregoing with respect to the transactions described in this paragraph. For the purposes of this section, the term “Government of Cuba” does not include any academic and research institutions and their personnel. Pursuant to this section, the following activities are authorized, provided that persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States ensure that they are not engaging, without separate authorization, in the activities identified in paragraphs (b) through (d) of this section:

(1) Commissioning and making advance payments for identifiable written publications not yet in existence, to the extent consistent with industry practice;

(2) Collaborating on the creation and enhancement of written publications;

(3)

(i) Augmenting written publications through the addition of items such as photographs, artwork, translation, explanatory text, and, for a written publication in electronic format, the addition of embedded software necessary for reading, browsing, navigating, or searching the written publication;

(ii) Exporting embedded software necessary for reading, browsing, navigating, or searching a written publication in electronic format, provided that, to the extent a license is required under the Export Administration Regulations, 15 CFR parts 730 through 774 (the “EAR”), the exportation is licensed or otherwise authorized by the Department of Commerce under the provisions of the EAR;

(4) Substantive editing of written publications;

(5) Payment of royalties for written publications;

(6) Creating or undertaking a marketing campaign to promote a written publication; and

(7) Other transactions necessary and ordinarily incident to the publishing and marketing of written publications as described in this paragraph (a).

(b) This section does not authorize transactions involving the provision of goods or services not necessary and ordinarily incident to the publishing and marketing of written publications as described in paragraph (a) of this section. For example, this section does not authorize persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States:

(1) To provide or receive individualized or customized services (including, but not limited to, accounting, legal, design, or consulting services), other than those necessary and ordinarily incident to the publishing and marketing of written publications, even though such individualized or customized services are delivered through the use of information and informational materials;

(2) To create or undertake for any person a marketing campaign with respect to any service or product other than a written publication, or to create or undertake a marketing campaign of any kind for the benefit of the Government of Cuba;

(3) To engage in the exportation or importation of goods to or from Cuba other than the exportation of embedded software described in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section;

(4) To operate a publishing house, sales outlet, or other office in Cuba; or

(5) To engage in transactions related to travel to, from, or within Cuba.

(c) This section does not authorize persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to engage the services of publishing houses or translators in Cuba unless such activity is primarily for the dissemination of written publications in Cuba.

(d) This section does not authorize:

(1) Transactions for the development, production, or design of software;

(2) Transactions for the development, production, design, or marketing of technology specifically controlled by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, 22 CFR parts 120 through 130 (the “ITAR”), the EAR, or the Department of Energy Regulations set forth at 10 CFR part 810.

(3) The exportation of information or technology subject to the authorization requirements of 10 CFR part 810, or Restricted Data as defined in section 11 y. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, or of other information, data, or technology the release of which is controlled under the Atomic Energy Act and regulations therein;

(4) The exportation of any item (including information) subject to the EAR where a U.S. person knows or has reason to know that the item will be used, directly or indirectly, with respect to certain nuclear, missile, chemical, or biological weapons or nuclear-maritime end-uses as set forth in part 744 of the EAR. In addition, U.S. persons are precluded from exporting any item subject to the EAR to certain restricted end-users, as set forth in part 744 of the EAR, as well as certain persons whose export privileges have been denied pursuant to parts 764 or 766 of the EAR, without authorization from the Department of Commerce; or

(5) The exportation of information subject to licensing requirements under the ITAR, or exchanges of information that are subject to regulation by other government agencies.

(e) Section 515.564(a)(2) authorizes the travel-related transactions set forth in § 515.560(c) and such additional transactions that are directly incident to attendance at or organization of professional meetings that are necessary and ordinarily incident to the publishing and marketing of written publications.

(f) Certain direct financial transactions restricted. Nothing in this section authorizes a direct financial transaction prohibited by § 515.209.

[72 FR 50048, Aug. 30, 2007, as amended at 76 FR 5077, Jan. 28, 2011; 81 FR 13994, Mar. 16, 2016; 82 FR 52003, Nov. 9, 2017; 85 FR 60072, Sept. 24, 2020; 87 FR 35091, June 9, 2022]