Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (TSRA) Program

TSRA Program Background and License Application Process

About TSRA

Background:

The Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000, Title IX of Public Law 106 387 (October 28, 2000) (the "TSRA"), provides that the President shall terminate any unilateral agricultural sanction or unilateral medical sanction in effect as of the date of enactment of the TSRA. The TSRA does not direct the termination of any unilateral agricultural sanction or unilateral medical sanction that prohibits, restricts, or conditions the provision or use of any agricultural commodity, medicine, or medical device that is controlled on the United States Munitions List, controlled on any control list established by the Export Administration Act of 1979 or any successor statute, or used to facilitate the development or production of chemical or biological weapons or weapons of mass destruction. More on TSRA

Definitions:

The TSRA defines agricultural commodities by reference to the meaning given to that term in section 102 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5602). This definition includes food commodities, feed, fish, shellfish and fish products, beer, wine and spirits, soft drinks, livestock, fiber, including cotton, wool, and other fibers, tobacco and tobacco products, wood and wood products (including lumber and utility poles), seeds, and reproductive materials such as fertilized eggs, embryos, and semen. It also includes certain fertilizers and organic fertilizers that are not otherwise controlled. TSRA Definitions

TSRA Reports:

For Biennial and Quarterly Reports of TSRA Licensing Activity please proceed to the TSRA Reports to Congress page.

TSRA Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: How should I present my TSRA license application?

Question 2: If I am submitting multiple TSRA license applications at the same time, should I send them under a single cover letter?

Question 3: Should I send a sample of the proposed export product as an attachment to my TSRA license application?

TSRA Frequently Asked Questions: Iran

Question 4: I hold a specific license to sell agricultural goods, medicine, or medical devices to Iran. The general license at section 560.532(a)(4) of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR) authorizes me to accept a letter of credit issued by an Iranian financial institution whose property and interests in property are blocked solely pursuant to the ITSR (i.e., an Iranian financial institution that is not listed on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List)). The general license, however, also states that a U.S. financial institution may not advise, confirm, or otherwise deal in that credit. How am I supposed to know if/when a letter of credit has been issued for my sale and how do I get paid? My bank accounts are all at U.S. financial institutions. 

Additional information relating to the 2016 amendments to the general licenses authorizing the exportation or reexportation of certain agricultural commodities, medicine, or medical devices and certain replacement parts to Iran.

TSRA Frequently Asked Questions: Sudan

Question 5: I am an exporter of agricultural commodities, medicine, or medical devices to Sudan and have previously obtained specific licenses from OFAC for such exports.  Do I still need to apply for a specific license from OFAC for exports or reexports of such items to Sudan or renew my existing specific licenses? 

TSRA Legal References

Statute:

Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (TSRA), PL 106-387

Code of Federal Regulations:

31 CFR Part 538 - Sudanese Sanctions Regulations
31 CFR Part 560 - Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations

Federal Register Notices:

82 FR 4793 - Amendment to the Sudanese Sanctions Regulations (SSR) adding a new general license authorizing all transactions prohibited under the SSR
81 FR 94254-16 - Amendments to general licenses authorizing the exportation or reexportation to Iran of certain agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices
74 FR 61030-09 - Changes to the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 ("TSRA")
74 FR 46361-09 - General License Authorizing TSRA-Related Transactions With Respect to the Specified Areas of Sudan
72 FR 12980-07 - Clarification of licenses for the exportation of agricultural commodities, medicine and medical devices
66 FR 36683-01 - Exports of agricultural products, medicines, and medical devices to Cuba, Sudan, Libya, and Iran

Executive Orders and Additional Legal Information:

Legal Information for the Iran Sanctions Program
Legal Information for the Sudan Sanctions Program