U.S. further loosens export controls for Cuba

The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security and the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control have announced further regulatory amendments to expand the types of U.S. goods allowed for export to Cuba.    The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security and the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control have announced further regulatory amendments to expand the types of U.S. goods allowed for export to Cuba.
   Commerce said the changes that it has proposed to the Export Administration Regulations will authorize additional exports for disaster preparedness, education, agricultural production, artistic endeavors, food processing, and public transportation to the Caribbean island nation.
   These amendments will remove existing restrictions on payment and financing terms for authorized exports and re-exports to Cuba of items other than agricultural goods, and establish a “case-by-case licensing policy for exports and re-exports of items to meet the needs of the Cuban people, including those made to Cuban state-owned enterprises,” the departments said.
   However, a general policy of denial will be maintained for U.S. exports and re-exports of items for use by state-owned enterprises and Cuban government agencies that primarily generate revenue for the state, including those in the tourism industry and the mining or production of minerals and other raw materials. In addition, applications to export or re-export items destined to the Cuban military, police, intelligence and security services remain subject to a general policy of denial, Commerce and Treasury said.
   The departments noted additional amendments will help facilitate carrier service by air and with Cuban airlines, including approvals for blocked space, code-sharing and leasing arrangements. 
   “These regulatory changes will also facilitate exports that will help strengthen civil society in Cuba and enhance communications to, from and among the Cuban people,” said Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker in a statement. “Looking ahead, we will continue to support greater economic independence and increased prosperity for the Cuban people, as we take another step toward building a more open and mutually beneficial relationship between our two nations.”
   For more details about the Treasury regulations, see the 31 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part 515. The Commerce regulations can be found at 15 CFR part 746.