Section 542.211 - Exempt transactions(a)United Nations Participation Act. The exemptions described in this section do not apply to transactions involving property or interests in property of persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the authority of the United Nations Participation Act, as amended (22 U.S.C. 287c(b) ) (UNPA). Note 1 to paragraph (a). Persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the authority of the UNPA include those listed on both OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) and the Consolidated United Nations Security Council Sanctions List (UN List) (see https://www.un.org), as well as persons listed on the SDN List for being owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, persons listed on both the SDN List and the UN List.
(b)Personal communications. Except as set forth in paragraph (e) of this section, the prohibitions contained in this part do not apply to any postal, telegraphic, telephonic, or other personal communication that does not involve the transfer of anything of value.(c)Information or informational materials.(1) Except as set forth in paragraph (e) of this section, the prohibitions contained in this part do not apply to the importation from any country and the exportation to any country of any information or informational materials, as defined in § 542.310 , whether commercial or otherwise, regardless of format or medium of transmission.(2) This section does not exempt from regulation or authorize transactions related to information or informational materials not fully created and in existence at the date of the transactions, or to the substantive or artistic alteration or enhancement of informational materials, or to the provision of marketing and business consulting services. Such prohibited transactions include, but are not limited to, payment of advances for information or informational materials not yet created and completed (with the exception of prepaid subscriptions for widely circulated magazines and other periodical publications); provision of services to market, produce or co-produce, create, or assist in the creation of information or informational materials; and payment of royalties with respect to income received for enhancements or alterations made by U.S. persons to such information or informational materials.(3) This section does not exempt or authorize transactions incident to the exportation of software subject to the Export Administration Regulations, 15 CFR parts 730 through 774, or to the exportation of goods (including software) or technology for use in the transmission of any data, or to the provision, sale, or leasing of capacity on telecommunications transmission facilities (such as satellite or terrestrial network connectivity) for use in the transmission of any data. The exportation of such items or services and the provision, sale, or leasing of such capacity or facilities to Syria or to the Government of Syria or any other person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to § 542.201 are prohibited. Note 2 to paragraph (c)(3) of § 542.211 : See§ 542.510 for a general license authorizing the exportation or reexportation of certain items and services to Syria.
Note 3 to paragraph (c)(3) of § 542.211 : See§ 542.511 for a general license authorizing the exportation to persons in Syria of certain services incident to the exchange of personal communications over the Internet.
(d)Travel. Except as set forth in paragraph (e) of this section, the prohibitions contained in this part do not apply to transactions ordinarily incident to travel to or from any country, including importation or exportation of accompanied baggage for personal use, maintenance within any country including payment of living expenses and acquisition of goods or services for personal use, and arrangement or facilitation of such travel including nonscheduled air, sea, or land voyages.(e)Official business. The prohibitions contained in §§ 542.201(a)(1), (9), and (10) , as well as §§ 542.206 , 542.207 , 542.208 , 542.209 , 542.210 , and 542.212 do not apply to transactions for the conduct of the official business of the United States government by employees, grantees, or contractors thereof. Note 4 to paragraph (e). See§ 542.522 for a general license authorizing transactions for the conduct of the official business of the United States Government.
(f)Inapplicability of exemptions. The exemptions described in this section do not apply to any transactions involving property or interests in property of certain persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 13399. Note 5 to paragraph (f) of § 542.211 : As of the date of publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER, no persons have been designated by OFAC pursuant to E.O. 13399.
(g)Importation of goods. The prohibitions contained in § 542.201 do not apply to the importation of any goods that would otherwise be prohibited solely because of the interest of a person whose property and interests in property are blocked solely pursuant to § 542.201(a)(13) . For the purposes of this paragraph (g), the term good(s) means any article, natural or manmade substance, material, supply or manufactured product, including inspection and test equipment, and excluding technical data.79 FR 25416, May 2, 2014, as amended at 87 FR 78473, Dec. 21, 2022; 89 FR 48317, June 6, 2024