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. Section 906 of the TSRA further requires that the export of agricultural commodities, medicine, or medical devices to Cuba or to the government of a country that has been determined by the Secretary of State, under Section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371), section 6(j)(1) of the Export Administration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. app. 2405(j)(1)), or section 40(d) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2780(d)), to have provided support repeatedly for acts of international terrorism, or to any other entity in such a country, shall only be made pursuant to one-year licenses issued by the United States Government, except that the requirements of such one-year licenses shall be no more restrictive than general licenses administered by the Department of the Treasury.
The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has endeavored to implement the TSRA in a way that is consistent with both the statutory language and the intent of its drafters and in a manner that also provides exporters with an efficient and expedited process for engaging in authorized exports of agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices. Following this approach, OFAC applies the licensing procedures required by section 906 of the TSRA to all exports and reexports of agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices to Sudan and Iran that are within the current scope of OFAC's licensing jurisdiction. Similarly, OFAC applies this licensing procedure to cover exports to the governments of Sudan and Iran, any entities in these countries, and individuals in these countries, as well as to persons in third countries purchasing specifically for resale to any of the foregoing.
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. The term agricultural commodities does not include furniture made from wood, clothing manufactured from plant or animal materials, agricultural equipment (whether hand tools or motorized equipment), pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, or cosmetics (unless derived entirely from plant materials). Although the definition of agricultural commodities under the TSRA does not include vitamins and minerals, food additives or supplements, or bottled drinking water, OFAC will include such items in the definition of agricultural commodities for the purposes of implementing TSRA. An Official Commodity Classification of EAR99 obtained from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is required to be submitted with the exporter's request to OFAC for a one-year license to export to Iran fertilizers, live horses, or western red cedar. An Official Commodity Classification from BIS is not required to be submitted with the exporter's request for a one-year license to export to Iran any other agricultural commodity.
The TSRA defines the terms “medicine” and “medical device” by adopting the definitions of “drug” and “device” set forth in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321). These definitions include prescription medicines and over-the-counter medicines for humans and animals that are designated as EAR99 under the Export Administration Regulations, 15 CFR parts 730 et seq. (EAR). They also include medical supplies, instruments, equipment, and equipped ambulances that are so designated. They do not include general-purpose furniture and equipment (such as desks, tables, lamps, and office computers) used in medical offices and waiting rooms. Although most medicines and medical devices are designated as EAR99, certain vaccines, biological and chemical products, medical devices, and parts for such devices are listed on the BIS’s Commerce Control List and are not eligible for export to Iran under this rule.
TSRA Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: How should I present my TSRA license application?
Applicants should clearly enumerate in a table format all pertinent information related to their proposed transactions, including: a) Full names and addresses of all parties involved in the transactions and their roles, including financial institutions and any Iranian broker (identify company principals), purchasing agent (identify company principals), end-user(s) (full contact name), or other participants involved in the purchase of the proposed export items; and b) If applicable, the commodity classification numbers that are associated with the proposed export items. [04-12-2021]
Question 2: If I am submitting multiple TSRA license applications at the same time, should I send them under a single cover letter?
OFAC requires applicants to submit each individual application separately; regardless whether they are completing the online application or sending in a hard copy application through the mail. If an applicant is submitting a hard copy, each application should be in a separate envelope, accompanied by a separate cover letter. Applicants should not submit multiple applications in a single envelope with a single cover letter. If you submit applications in that manner, you may encounter some delay in the processing of your applications. Therefore, in order to prevent such delay, submit one application with one cover letter per envelope. [12-22-2016]
Question 3: Should I send a sample of the proposed export product as an attachment to my TSRA license application?
No. OFAC does not require samples of proposed export products to be sent as attachments to any application. OFAC does not need to examine samples of the actual product in making its final determination. Therefore, please do not include any samples with your application. [06-14-2007]
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.
This language is included in the general license at section 560.532(a)(4) of the ITSR because it is contrary to U.S. foreign policy to allow U.S. financial institutions to maintain active correspondent relationships with Iranian banks. The language, however, does not preclude a U.S. financial institution or an entity owned or controlled by a United States Person and established or maintained outside the United States (“a U.S.-owned or -controlled foreign entity”) from being a second advising bank (i.e. receiving and passing forward advice from a third-country bank that the credit has been issued), nor does it preclude the U.S. financial institution or a U.S.-owned or -controlled foreign entity from receiving funds in payment for the licensed export from a third-country bank. You should also note that the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations authorize U.S. financial institutions and U.S.-owned or -controlled foreign entities to directly advise or confirm letters of credit issued by third-country banks for authorized shipments. The third-country bank may not be an overseas branch of a U.S. financial institution, a U.S.-owned or -controlled foreign entity, an Iranian financial institution, or the Government of Iran, unless otherwise authorized by OFAC. In none of these circumstances, however, may there be any direct or indirect involvement of entities the property and interests in property of which have been blocked under any of the programs administered by OFAC, except for persons whose property and interests in property are blocked solely pursuant to Executive Order 13599 and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. [12-22-2016]
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?
No. As of December 14, 2020, no license from OFAC is required for exports or reexports of agricultural commodities, medicine, or medical devices to Sudan or the Government of Sudan, or for financing such exports or reexports. [04-12-2021]