On June 16, 2017, President Trump issued a National Security Presidential Memorandum on Strengthening the Policy of the United States Toward Cuba, which began the process to alter some aspects of U.S. policy toward Cuba. [See prior blog post here]. On July 25, 2017, OFAC updated its Cuba FAQs to address upcoming changes to its Cuba sanctions rules as they relate to pre-existing contracts, licenses, and travel arrangements.
Some of the more important points in the new OFAC guidance include the following:
- Treatment of existing contracts and companies engaged in the Cuban market
OFAC states that companies already engaged in the Cuban market with entities related to the Cuban military, intelligence, or security services that may be affected by the new Cuba sanctions regime will be allowed to continue after issuance of the new regulations. In the updated FAQs, OFAC further clarifies that “businesses will be permitted to continue with transactions outlined in contingent or other types of contractual arrangements agreed to prior to the issuance of the new regulations, consistent with other [Cuban Assets Control Regulations] authorization.”
- Addition of “subentities”
OFAC indicated that the State Department will be publishing a list not only of “entities with which direct transactions generally will not be permitted,” but also a list of “subentities.” This suggests that the Administration plans to assemble its own list of entities that are considered to be owned or controlled by the Cuban military, intelligence, and security services, which may be useful to U.S. companies by lessening their burdens to investigate the ownership of some Cuban entities.
- Travel
OFAC explains that for travel after issuance of the forthcoming regulations, as long as a traveler has already completed at least one travel-related transaction prior to June 16, 2017, such as purchasing a flight, the trip and any meetings with listed entities/subentities will be permitted.
- People-to-People Travel. The latest FAQs reiterate that the general license allowing individual people-to-people travel will end once Treasury issues the upcoming regulations. Nevertheless, group people-to-people travel will remain available subject to the rules in 31 CFR § 515.565(b).
- Persons Organizing or Sponsoring people-to-people or educational travel. OFAC clarifies in new FAQs that such parties are covered by the general licenses and do not need to apply for a specific license.
- Remittances
The latest Cuba FAQs explain that remittances to Cuba will still be permitted under the new regulations. However, “changes will be made to the definition of prohibited members of Government of Cuba that may exclude certain persons from receipt of such remittances.”
The June 16, 2017 Cuba FAQs may be found here.
The July 25, 2017 Cuba FAQs may be found here.