[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 5, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 25992-25993]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-11755]



[[Page 25992]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Office of Foreign Assets Control

31 CFR Part 515


Cuban Assets Control Regulations

AGENCY: Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets 
Control (OFAC) is amending the Cuban Assets Control Regulations to 
implement portions of the President's foreign policy toward Cuba. This 
amendment removes an authorization for group people-to-people 
educational travel and provides a ``grandfathering'' provision to 
authorize certain group people-to-people educational travel that 
previously was authorized where the traveler has already completed at 
least one travel-related transaction (such as purchasing a flight or 
reserving accommodation) prior to June 5, 2019.

DATES: Effective: June 5, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: OFAC: Assistant Director for 
Licensing, 202-622-2480, Assistant Director for Regulatory Affairs, 
202-622-4855, Assistant Director for Sanctions Compliance & Evaluation, 
202-622-2490; or the Department of the Treasury's Office of the Chief 
Counsel (Foreign Assets Control), Office of the General Counsel, 202-
622-2410.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Availability

    This document and additional information concerning OFAC are 
available from OFAC's website (www.treasury.gov/ofac).

Background

    The Department of the Treasury issued the Cuban Assets Control 
Regulations, 31 CFR part 515 (the Regulations), on July 8, 1963, under 
the Trading With the Enemy Act (50 U.S.C. 4301-41). OFAC has amended 
the Regulations on numerous occasions. In particular, on November 9, 
2017, OFAC, the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and 
Security, and the Department of State (State) took coordinated actions 
to implement National Security Presidential Memorandum-5, 
``Strengthening the Policy of the United States Toward Cuba,'' signed 
by the President on June 16, 2017 (NSPM-5). Among other things, in 
accordance with section 3(b)(ii) of NSPM-5, OFAC amended Sec.  
515.565(b) to require that people-to-people educational travel be 
conducted under the auspices of an organization that is subject to U.S. 
jurisdiction and that sponsors such exchanges to promote people-to-
people contact (group people-to-people educational travel) (82 FR 
51998).
    On April 17, 2019, National Security Advisor Ambassador John Bolton 
delivered a foreign policy address (April 2019 Address) announcing 
regulatory changes to further implement NSPM-5 and the President's 
foreign policy toward Cuba. Among other changes, the April 2019 Address 
announced that the Department of the Treasury would further restrict 
non-family travel.
    In accordance with the April 2019 Address, OFAC is amending Sec.  
515.565 to remove the authorization for group people-to-people 
educational travel in Sec.  515.565(b). OFAC is adding a 
``grandfathering'' provision in Sec.  515.565(b) to authorize certain 
group people-to-people educational travel that previously was 
authorized where the traveler has already completed at least one 
travel-related transaction (such as purchasing a flight or reserving 
accommodation) prior to June 5, 2019. Finally, OFAC is adding a Note to 
Sec.  515.572(a)(2) highlighting the fact that the export or reexport 
of vessels or aircraft providing carrier services under Sec.  
515.572(a)(2) requires separate authorization from the Department of 
Commerce.

Public Participation

    Because the amendments of the Regulations involve a foreign affairs 
function, the provisions of Executive Order 12866 and the 
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) requiring notice of 
proposed rulemaking, opportunity for public participation, and delay in 
effective date, as well as the provisions of Executive Order 13771, are 
inapplicable. Because no notice of proposed rulemaking is required for 
this rule, the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612) does not 
apply.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The collections of information related to the Regulations are 
contained in 31 CFR part 501 (the ``Reporting, Procedures and Penalties 
Regulations'') and Sec.  515.572 of this part. Pursuant to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507), those collections of 
information are covered by the Office of Management and Budget under 
control numbers 1505-0164, 1505-0167, and 1505-0168. An agency may not 
conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a 
collection of information unless the collection of information displays 
a valid control number.

List of Subjects in 31 CFR Part 515

    Administrative practice and procedure, Banking, Blocking of assets, 
Cuba, Financial transactions, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, 
Travel restrictions.

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Department of the 
Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control amends 31 CFR part 515 as 
set forth below:

PART 515--CUBAN ASSETS CONTROL REGULATIONS

0
1. The authority citation for part 515 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2370(a), 6001-6010, 7201-7211; 31 U.S.C. 
321(b); 50 U.S.C. 4301-4341; Pub. L. 101-410, 104 Stat. 890 (28 
U.S.C. 2461 note); Pub. L. 104-114, 110 Stat. 785 (22 U.S.C. 6021-
6091); Pub. L. 105-277, 112 Stat. 2681; Pub. L. 111-8, 123 Stat. 
524; Pub. L. 111-117, 123 Stat. 3034; E.O. 9193, 7 FR 5205, 3 CFR, 
1938-1943 Comp., p. 1174; E.O. 9989, 13 FR 4891, 3 CFR, 1943-1948 
Comp., p. 748; Proc. 3447, 27 FR 1085, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 
157; E.O. 12854, 58 FR 36587, 3 CFR, 1993 Comp., p. 614.

Subpart E--Licenses, Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing 
Policy

0
2. Amend Sec.  515.565 by:
0
a. Redesignating the Note to paragraphs (a) and (b) as Note 4 to 
paragraph (a);
0
b. Revising the newly redesignated Note 4 to paragraph (a);
0
c. Revising paragraph (b); and
0
d. In paragraph (g), remove the phrase ``general licenses'' and add in 
its place ``general license'' and remove the text ``or (b)''.
    The revisions to read as follows:


Sec.  515.565   Educational activities.

    (a) * * *
* * * * *

    Note 4 to paragraph (a): Each person relying on the general 
authorization in this paragraph must retain specific records related 
to the authorized travel transactions. See Sec. Sec.  501.601 and 
501.602 of this chapter for applicable recordkeeping and reporting 
requirements.

    (b) General license for certain people-to-people travel and related 
transactions where certain transactions were completed prior to June 5, 
2019. Persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction are authorized to engage in 
people-to-people travel and related transactions for a trip consistent 
with paragraph (b) of this section as those provisions existed on April 
17, 2019, provided the traveler completed at least one travel-

[[Page 25993]]

related transaction (such as purchasing a flight or reserving 
accommodation) for that particular trip prior to June 5, 2019.
* * * * *

0
3. Amend Sec.  515.572 by adding Note 1 to paragraph (a)(2) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  515.572   Provision of travel, carrier, other transportation-
related, and remittance forwarding services.

    (a) * * *
    (2) * * *

    Note 1 to paragraph (a)(2): The export or reexport to Cuba of 
items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR part 
730 et seq.), including vessels and aircraft used to provide carrier 
services, requires separate authorization from the Department of 
Commerce. See Sec.  515.533.

* * * * *

    Dated: May 30, 2019.
Andrea Gacki,
Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
[FR Doc. 2019-11755 Filed 6-4-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-AL-P