Commerce Department Implements President's Directive to Ease Restrictions on Humanitarian Aid, Gift Parcels to Cuba

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Thursday, September 3, 2009
202-482-4883

Commerce Department Implements President's Directive to Ease
Restrictions on Humanitarian Aid, Gift Parcels to Cuba

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and
Security today amended the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to
implement the President's April 13, 2009 directive to make it easier for
Americans with family members in Cuba to visit and send gifts to their
relatives. The measures are designed to improve prospects for democracy
and enhance human rights on the island.

Today's action was taken in concert with the publication of amendments
to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations by the Department of the
Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control.

The measures will allow items normally exchanged between individuals as
gifts to be included in gift parcels going to Cuba and remove the
requirement that gift parcels be sent only to members of the donor's
immediate family. Gift parcels may now be sent from an individual in the
United States to an individual or an independent religious, educational,
or charitable organization in Cuba.

The amendment also raises the value limit for gift parcels from $400 to
$800 and increases the number of parcels that an individual donor may
send each month from one parcel per household to one parcel per donee.

The EAR update removes the 44-pound limit on personal baggage that
previously applied to travelers to Cuba and creates a new License
Exception that authorizes exports and re-exports to Cuba of donated
personal communications devices such as mobile phone systems, computers
and software, satellite receivers and digital cameras.

The amendment also revises licensing policy to facilitate exports needed
to establish telecommunications links between the United States and
Cuba, including links established through third countries, and including
the provision of satellite radio or satellite television services to Cuba.

Department of Commerce - Press Releases, Fact Sheets and Opinion
Editorials - Commerce Department Implements President's Directive to
Ease Restrictions on Humanitarian Aid, Gift Parcels to Cuba (4 September
2009)
http://www.commerce.gov/NewsRoom/PressReleases_FactSheets/PROD01_008383