(a) All of the following transactions are prohibited, except as specifically authorized by the Secretary of the Treasury (or any person, agency, or instrumentality designated by him) by means of regulations, rulings, instructions, licenses, or otherwise, if either such transactions are by, or on behalf of, or pursuant to the direction of a foreign country designated under this part, or any national thereof, or such transactions involve property in which a foreign country designated under this part, or any national thereof, has at any time on or since the effective date of this section had any interest of any nature whatsoever, direct or indirect:

(1) All transfers of credit and all payments between, by, through, or to any banking institution or banking institutions wheresoever located, with respect to any property subject to the jurisdiction of the United States or by any person (including a banking institution) subject to the jurisdiction of the United States;

(2) All transactions in foreign exchange by any person within the United States; and

(3) The exportation or withdrawal from the United States of gold or silver coin or bullion, currency or securities, or the earmarking of any such property, by any person within the United States.

(b) All of the following transactions are prohibited, except as specifically authorized by the Secretary of the Treasury (or any person, agency, or instrumentality designated by him) by means of regulations, rulings, instructions, licenses, or otherwise, if such transactions involve property in which any foreign country designated under this part, or any national thereof, has at any time on or since the effective date of this section had any interest of any nature whatsoever, direct or indirect:

(1) All dealings in, including, without limitation, transfers, withdrawals, or exportations of, any property or evidences of indebtedness or evidences of ownership of property by any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; and

(2) All transfers outside the United States with regard to any property or property interest subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

(c) Any transaction for the purpose or which has the effect of evading or avoiding any of the prohibitions set forth in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section is hereby prohibited.

(d) For the purposes of this part, the term foreign country designated under this part and the term designated foreign country mean Cuba and the term effective date and the term effective date of this section mean with respect to Cuba, or any national thereof, 12:01 a.m., e.s.t., July 8, 1963.

(e) When a transaction results in the blocking of funds at a banking institution pursuant to this section and a party to the transaction believes the funds have been blocked due to mistaken identity, that party may seek to have such funds unblocked pursuant to the administrative procedures set forth in § 501.806 of this chapter.

Unless authorized by a license expressly referring to this section, the acquisition, transfer (including the transfer on the books of any issuer or agent thereof), disposition, transportation, importation, exportation, or withdrawal of, or the endorsement or guaranty of signatures on or otherwise dealing in any security (or evidence thereof) registered or inscribed in the name of any designated national is prohibited irrespective of the fact that at any time (either prior to, on, or subsequent to the “effective date”) the registered or inscribed owner thereof may have, or appears to have, assigned, transferred or otherwise disposed of any such security.

(a) Any transfer after the “effective date” which is in violation of any provision of this part or of any regulation, ruling, instruction, license, or other direction or authorization thereunder and involves any property in which a designated national has or has had an interest since such “effective date” is null and void and shall not be the basis for the assertion or recognition of any interest in or right, remedy, power or privilege with respect to such property.

(b) No transfer before the “effective date” shall be the basis for the assertion or recognition of any right, remedy, power, or privilege with respect to, or interest in, any property in which a designated national has or has had an interest since the “effective date” unless the person with whom such property is held or maintained had written notice of the transfer or by any written evidence had recognized such transfer prior to such “effective date.”

(c) Unless otherwise provided, an appropriate license or other authorization issued by or pursuant to the direction or authorization of the Secretary of the Treasury before, during or after a transfer shall validate such transfer or render it enforceable to the same extent as it would be valid or enforceable but for the provisions of section 5(b) of the Trading With the Enemy Act, as amended, and this part and any ruling, order, regulation, direction or instruction issued hereunder.

(d) Transfers of property which otherwise would be null and void, or unenforceable by virtue of the provisions of this section shall not be deemed to be null and void, or unenforceable pursuant to such provisions, as to any person with whom such property was held or maintained (and as to such person only) in cases in which such person is able to establish each of the following:

(1) Such transfer did not represent a willful violation of the provisions of this part by the person with whom such property was held or maintained;

(2) The person with whom such property was held or maintained did not have reasonable cause to know or suspect, in view of all the facts and circumstances known or available to such person, that such transfer required a license or authorization by or pursuant to the provisions of this part and was not so licensed or authorized or if a license or authorization did purport to cover the transfer, that such license or authorization had been obtained by misrepresentation or the withholding of material facts or was otherwise fraudulently obtained; and

(3) Promptly upon discovery that:

(i) Such transfer was in violation of the provisions of this part or any regulation, ruling, instruction, license or other direction or authorization thereunder, or

(ii) Such transfer was not licensed or authorized by the Secretary of the Treasury, or

(iii) If a license did purport to cover the transfer, such license had been obtained by misrepresentation or the withholding of material facts or was otherwise fraudulently obtained;

(e) Unless licensed or authorized by § 515.504 or otherwise licensed or authorized pursuant to this chapter any attachment, judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other judicial process is null and void with respect to any property in which on or since the “effective date” there existed the interest of a designated foreign country or national thereof.

(f) For the purpose of this section the term property includes gold, silver, bullion, currency, coin, credit, securities (as that term is defined in section 2(1) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended), bills of exchange, notes, drafts, acceptances, checks, letters of credit, book credits, debts, claims, contracts, negotiable documents of title, mortgages, liens, annuities, insurance policies, options and futures in commodities, and evidences of any of the foregoing. The term property shall not, except to the extent indicated, be deemed to include chattels or real property.

(a) Except as specifically authorized by the Secretary of the Treasury (or any person, agency, or instrumentality designated by him) by means of regulations, rulings, instructions, licenses, or otherwise, no person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States may purchase, transport, import, or otherwise deal in or engage in any transaction with respect to any merchandise outside the United States if such merchandise:

(1) Is of Cuban origin; or

(2) Is or has been located in or transported from or through Cuba; or

(3) Is made or derived in whole or in part of any article which is the growth, produce or manufacture of Cuba.

(b) [Reserved]

(a) Except as provided by paragraphs (d), (e) and (f) of this section, or as authorized by the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate by specific license, any person holding any property included in paragraph (h) of this section is prohibited from holding, withholding, using, transferring, engaging in any transactions involving, or exercising any right, power, or privilege with respect to any such property, unless it is held in an interest-bearing account in a domestic bank.

(b) Any person presently holding property subject to the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section which, as of the effective date of this section, is not being held in accordance with the provisions of that paragraph shall transfer such property to or hold such property or cause such property to be held in an interest-bearing account in any domestic bank within 30 days of the effective date of this section.

(c) Any person holding any checks or drafts subject to the provisions of § 515.201 is authorized and directed, wherever possible consistent with state law (except as otherwise specifically provided in paragraph (c)(3) of this section), to negotiate or present for collection or payment such instruments and credit the proceeds to interest-bearing accounts. Any transaction by any person incident to the negotiation, processing. presentment, collection or payment of such instruments and deposit of the proceeds into an interest-bearing account is hereby authorized: Provided that:

(1) The transaction does not represent, directly or indirectly, a transfer of the interest of a designated national to any other country or person;

(2) The proceeds are held in a blocked account indicating the designated national who is the payee or owner of the instrument; and,

(3) In the case of a blocked check or draft which has been purchased by the maker/drawer from the drawee bank (e.g., cashier's check, money order, or traveler's check) or which is drawn against a presently existing account, such bank, on presentment of the instrument in accordance with the provisions of this section, shall either:

(i) Pay the instrument (subject to paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section) or

(ii) Credit a blocked account on its books with the amount payable on the instrument.

(d) Property subject to the provisions of paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, held by a person claiming a set-off against such property, is exempt from the provisions of paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this section to the extent of the set-off: Provided however, That interest shall be due from 30 days after the effective date of this section if it should ultimately be determined that the claim to a set-off is without merit.

(e) Property subject to the provisions of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, held in a customer's account by a registered broker/dealer in securities, may continue to be held for the customer by the broker/dealer provided interest is credited to the account on any balance not invested in securities in accordance with § 515.513. The interest paid on such accounts by a broker/dealer who does not elect to hold such property for a customer's account in a domestic bank shall not be less than the maximum rate payable on the shortest time deposit available in any domestic bank in the jurisdiction in which the broker/dealer holds the account.

(f) Property subject to the provisions of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, held by a state agency charged with the custody of abandoned or unclaimed property under § 515.554 may continue to be held by the agency provided interest is credited to the blocked account in which the property is held by the agency, or the property is held by the agency in a blocked account in a domestic bank. The interest credited to such accounts by an agency which does not elect to hold such property in a domestic bank shall not be less than the maximum rate payable on the shortest time deposit available in any domestic bank in the state.

(g) For purposes of this section, the term interest-bearing account means a blocked account earning interest at no less than the maximum rate payable on the shortest time deposit in the domestic bank where the account is held: Provided however, That such an account may include six-month Treasury bills or insured certificates, with a maturity not exceeding six-months, appropriate to the amounts involved.

(h) The following types of property are subject to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section:

(1) Any currency, bank deposit and bank accounts subject to the provisions of § 515.201;

(2) Any property subject to the provisions of § 515.201 which consists, in whole or in part, of undisputed and either liquidated or matured debts, claims, obligations or other evidence of indebtedness, to the extent of any amount that is undisputed and liquidated or matured; and

(3) Any proceeds resulting from the payment of an obligation under paragraph (c) of this section.

(i) For purposes of this section, the term domestic bank includes any FSLIC-insured institution (as defined in 12 CFR 561.1).

(j) For the purposes of this section the term person includes the United States Government or any agency or instrumentality thereof, except where the agency or instrumentality submits to the Office of Foreign Assets Control an opinion of its General Counsel that either:

(1) It lacks statutory authority to comply with this section, or

(2) The requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section are inconsistent with the statutory program under which it operates.

(a) Information and informational materials. (1) The importation from any country and the exportation to any country of information or informational materials as defined in § 515.332, whether commercial or otherwise, regardless of format or medium of transmission, are exempt from the prohibitions and regulations of this part except for payments owed to Cuba for telecommunications services between Cuba and the United States, which are subject to the provisions of § 515.542.

(2) This section does not authorize transactions related to information or informational materials not fully created and in existence at the date of the transaction, or to the substantive or artistic alteration or enhancement of information or informational materials, or to the provision of marketing and business consulting services by a person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Such prohibited transactions include, without limitation, payment of advances for information or informational materials not yet created and completed, provision of services to market, produce or co-produce, create or assist in the creation of information or informational materials, and payment of royalties to a designated national with respect to income received for enhancements or alterations made by persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to information or informational materials imported from a designated national.

(3) This section does not authorize transactions incident to the transmission of restricted technical data as defined in the Export Administration Regulations, 15 CFR parts 730-774, or to the exportation of goods for use in the transmission of any data. The exportation of such goods to designated foreign countries is prohibited, as provided in § 515.201 of this part and § 785.1 of the Export Administration Regulations.

(4) This section does not authorize transactions related to travel to Cuba when such travel is not otherwise authorized under § 515.545.

(b) Donation of food. The prohibitions contained in this part do not apply to transactions incident to the donation of food to nongovernmental organizations or individuals in Cuba.

Except as specifically authorized by the Secretary of the Treasury (or any person, agency or instrumentality designated by him), by means of regulations, rulings, instructions, licenses or otherwise,

(a) No vessel that enters a port or place in Cuba to engage in the trade of goods or the purchase or provision of services, may enter a U.S. port for the purpose of loading or unloading freight for a period of 180 days from the date the vessel departed from a port or place in Cuba; and

(b) No vessel carrying goods or passengers to or from Cuba or carrying goods in which Cuba or a Cuban national has an interest may enter a U.S. port with such goods or passengers on board.

No United States national, permanent resident alien, or United States agency may knowingly make a loan, extend credit or provide other financing for the purpose of financing transactions involving confiscated property the claim to which is owned by a United States national, except for financing by a United States national owning such a claim for a transaction permitted under United States law.

(a) Except as otherwise authorized pursuant to this part, no person subject to U.S. jurisdiction may engage in a direct financial transaction with any person that the Secretary of State has identified as an entity or subentity that is under the control of, or acts for or on behalf of, the Cuban military, intelligence, or security services or personnel and with which direct financial transactions would disproportionately benefit such services or personnel at the expense of the Cuban people or private enterprise in Cuba. For purposes of this prohibition, a person engages in a direct financial transaction by acting as the originator on a transfer of funds whose ultimate beneficiary is an entity or subentity on the State Department's List of Restricted Entities and Subentities Associated with Cuba (“Cuba Restricted List”) or as the ultimate beneficiary on a transfer of funds whose originator is an entity or subentity on the Cuba Restricted List, including a transaction by wire transfer, credit card, check, or payment of cash. This prohibition does not apply to certain transactions set forth in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section.

(b) The prohibition in paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to any travel-related transactions, including those that involve direct financial transactions with an entity or subentity on the Cuba Restricted List, provided those travel-related transactions were initiated prior to the date that entity or subentity was added to the Cuba Restricted List as published in the Federal Register.

(c) The prohibition in paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to any transactions related to commercial engagements that involve direct financial transactions with an entity or subentity on the Cuba Restricted List, provided those commercial engagements were in place prior to the date that entity or subentity was added to the Cuba Restricted List as published in the Federal Register.

(a) Except as otherwise authorized pursuant to this part, no person subject to U.S. jurisdiction may lodge, pay for lodging, or otherwise make any reservation for or on behalf of a third party to lodge, at any property in Cuba that the Secretary of State has identified as a property that is owned or controlled by the Cuban government, a prohibited official of the Government of Cuba, as defined in § 515.337, a prohibited member of the Cuban Communist Party, as defined in § 515.338, a close relative, as defined in § 515.339, of a prohibited official of the Government of Cuba, or a close relative of a prohibited member of the Cuban Communist Party. Such properties are identified on the State Department's Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List (CPA List). This prohibition does not apply to certain transactions set forth in paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) The prohibition in paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to lodging-related transactions initiated prior to the date that the property was added to the CPA List as published in the Federal Register.