Title 15—Commerce and Foreign Trade--Volume 1
PART 760—RESTRICTIVE TRADE PRACTICES OR BOYCOTTS
§ 760.1   Definitions.
In this part, references to the EAR are references to 15 CFR chapter VII, subchapter C.
(a) Definition of person. For purposes of this part, the term person means any individual, or any association or organization, public or private, which is organized, permanently established, resident, or registered to do business, in the United States or any foreign country. This definition of person includes both the singular and plural and, in addition, includes:
(1) Any partnership, corporation, company, branch, or other form of association or organization, whether organized for profit or non-profit purposes;
(2) Any government, or any department, agency, or commission of any government;
(3) Any trade association, chamber of commerce, or labor union;
(4) Any charitable or fraternal organization; and
(5) Any other association or organization not specifically listed in paragraphs (a)(1) through (4) of this section.
(b) Definition of “United States person”. (1) This part applies to United States persons. For purposes of this part, the term United States person means any person who is a United States resident or national, including individuals, domestic concerns, and “controlled in fact” foreign subsidiaries, affiliates, or other permanent foreign establishments of domestic concerns. This definition of United States person includes both the singular and plural and, in addition, includes:
(i) The government of the United States or any department, agency, or commission thereof;
(ii) The government of any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the United States, or any subdivision, department, agency, or commission of any such government;
(iii) Any partnership, corporation, company, association, or other entity organized under the laws of paragraph (b)(1)(i) or (ii) of this section;
(iv) Any foreign concern's subsidiary, partnership, affiliate, branch, office, or other permanent establishment in any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory or possession of the United States; and
(v) Any domestic concern's foreign subsidiary, partnership, affiliate, branch, office, or other permanent foreign establishment which is controlled in fact by such domestic concern. (See paragraph (c) of this section on “Definition of ‘Controlled in Fact’.”)
(2) The term domestic concern means any partnership, corporation, company, association, or other entity of, or organized under the laws of, any jurisdiction named in paragraph (b)(1) (i) or (ii) of this section, or any permanent domestic establishment of a foreign concern.
(3) The term foreign concern means any partnership, corporation, company, association, or other entity of, or organized under the laws of, any jurisdiction other than those named in paragraph (b)(1)(i) or (ii) of this section.
(4) The term United States person does not include an individual United States national who is resident outside the United States and who is either employed permanently or temporarily by a non-United States person or assigned to work as an employee for, and under the direction and control of, a non-United States person.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining whether a person is a “United States person.” They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) U.S. bank A has a branch office in foreign country P. Such branch office is a United States person, because it is a permanent foreign establishment of a domestic concern.
(ii) Ten foreign nationals establish a manufacturing plant, A, in the United States, incorporating the plant under New York law.
A is a United States person, because it is a corporation organized under the laws of one of the states of the United States.
(iii) A, a foreign corporation, opens an office in the United States for purposes of soliciting U.S. orders. The office is not separately incorporated.
A's U.S. office is a United States person, because it is a permanent establishment, in the United States, of a foreign concern.
(iv) A, a U.S. individual, owns stock in foreign corporation B.
A is a United States person. However, A is not a “domestic concern,” because the term “domestic concern” does not include individuals.
(v) A, a foreign national resident in the United States, is employed by B, a foreign corporation.
A is a United States person, because he is resident in the United States.
(vi) A, a foreign national, who is resident in a foreign country and is employed by a foreign corporation, makes occasional visits to the United States, for purposes of exploring business opportunities.
A is not a United States person, because he is not a United States resident or national.
(vii) A is an association of U.S. firms organized under the laws of Pennsylvania for the purpose of expanding trade.
A is a United States person, because it is an association organized under the laws of one of the states of the United States.
(viii) At the request of country Y, A, an individual employed by U.S. company B, is assigned to company C as an employee. C is a foreign company owned and controlled by country Y. A, a U.S. national who will reside in Y, has agreed to the assignment provided he is able to retain his insurance, pension, and other benefits. Accordingly, company B has agreed to keep A as an employee in order to protect his employee benefits, and company C has agreed to pay for A's salary. At all times while he works for C, A will be under C's direction and control.
A is not a United States person while under C's direction and control, because he will be resident outside the United States and assigned as an employee to a non-United States person. The arrangement designed to protect A's insurance, pension, and other benefits does not destroy his status as an employee of C so long as he is under the direction and control of C.
(ix) A, a U.S. citizen, has resided in Europe for three years, where he is a self-employed consultant for United States and foreign companies in the communications industry.
A is a United States person, because he is a U.S. national and because he is not a resident outside the United States who is employed by other than a United States person.
(c) Definition of “Controlled in Fact”. (1) This part applies to any domestic concern's foreign subsidiary, partnership, affiliate, branch, office, or other permanent foreign establishment which is controlled in fact by such domestic concern. Control in fact consists of the authority or ability of a domestic concern to establish the general policies or to control day-to-day operations of its foreign subsidiary, partnership, affiliate, branch, office, or other permanent foreign establishment.
(2) A foreign subsidiary or affiliate of a domestic concern will be presumed to be controlled in fact by that domestic concern, subject to rebuttal by competent evidence, when:
(i) The domestic concern beneficially owns or controls (whether directly or indirectly) more than 50 percent of the outstanding voting securities of the foreign subsidiary or affiliate;
(ii) The domestic concern beneficially owns or controls (whether directly or indirectly) 25 percent or more of the voting securities of the foreign subsidiary or affiliate, if no other person owns or controls (whether directly or indirectly) an equal or larger percentage;
(iii) The foreign subsidiary or affiliate is operated by the domestic concern pursuant to the provisions of an exclusive management contract;
(iv) A majority of the members of the board of directors of the foreign subsidiary or affiliate are also members of the comparable governing body of the domestic concern;
(v) The domestic concern has authority to appoint the majority of the members of the board of directors of the foreign subsidiary or affiliate; or
(vi) The domestic concern has authority to appoint the chief operating officer of the foreign subsidiary or affiliate.
(3) A brokerage firm or other person which holds simple record ownership of securities for the convenience of clients will not be deemed to control the securities.
(4) A domestic concern which owns, directly or indirectly, securities that are immediately convertible at the option of the holder or owner into voting securities is presumed to own or control those voting securities.
(5) A domestic concern's foreign branch office or other unincorporated permanent foreign establishment is deemed to be controlled in fact by such domestic concern under all circumstances.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which a foreign subsidiary, affiliate, or other permanent foreign establishment of a domestic concern is “controlled in fact.” They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) Company A is incorporated in a foreign country. Fifty-one percent of the voting stock of A is owned by U.S. company B.
A is presumed to be controlled in fact by B. This presumption may be rebutted by competent evidence showing that control does not, in fact, lie with B.
(ii) Company A is incorporated in a foreign country. Ten percent of the voting stock of A is owned by U.S. company B. A has an exclusive management contract with B pursuant to which A is operated by B.
As long as such contract is in effect, A is presumed to be controlled in fact by B. This presumption may be rebutted by competent evidence showing that control does not, in fact, lie with B.
(iii) Company A is incorporated in a foreign country. Ten percent of the voting stock of A is owned by U.S. company B. A has 10 persons on its board of directors. Six of those persons are also members of the board of directors of U.S. company B.
A is presumed to be controlled in fact by B. This presumption may be rebutted by competent evidence showing that control does not, in fact, lie with B.
(iv) Company A is incorporated in a foreign country. Thirty percent of the voting securities of A is owned by U.S. company B and no other person owns or controls an equal or larger share.
A is presumed to be controlled in fact by B. This presumption may be rebutted by competent evidence showing that control does not, in fact, lie with B.
(v) Company A is incorporated in a foreign country. In A's articles of incorporation, U.S. company B has been given authority to appoint A's board of directors.
A is presumed to be controlled in fact by B. This presumption may be rebutted by competent evidence showing that control does not, in fact, lie with B.
(vi) Company A is a joint venture established in a foreign country, with equal participation by U.S. company B and foreign company C. U.S. Company B has authority to appoint A's chief operating officer.
A is presumed to be controlled in fact by B. This presumption may be rebutted by competent evidence showing that control does not, in fact, lie with B.
(vii) Same as (vi), except that B has no authority to appoint A's chief operating officer.
B is not presumed to control A, absent other facts giving rise to a presumption of control.
(viii) Company A is incorporated in a foreign country. U.S. companies B, C, and D each own 20 percent of A's voting securities and regularly cast their votes in concert.
A is presumed to be controlled in fact by B, C, and D, because these companies are acting in concert to control A.
(ix) U.S. bank B located in the United States has a branch office, A, in a foreign country. A is not separately incorporated.
A is deemed to be controlled in fact by B, because A is a branch office of a domestic concern.
(x) Company A is incorporated in a foreign country. Fifty-one percent of the voting stock of A is owned by company B, which is incorporated in another foreign country. Fifty-one percent of the voting stock of B is owned by C, a U.S. company.
Both A and B are presumed to be controlled in fact by C. The presumption of C's control over B may be rebutted by competent evidence showing that control over B does not, in fact, lie with C. The presumption of B's control over A (and thus C's control over A) may be rebutted by competent evidence showing that control over A does not, in fact, lie with B.
(xi) B, a U.S. individual, owns 51 percent of the voting securities of A, a manufacturing company incorporated and located in a foreign country.
A is not “controlled in fact” under this part, because it is not controlled by a “domestic concern.”
(d) Definition of “Activities in the Interstate or Foreign Commerce of the United States”.
(1) For purposes of this part, the activities of a United States person located in the United States are in the interstate or foreign commerce of the United States if they involve the sale, purchase, or transfer of goods or services (including information) between:
(i) Two or more of the several States (including the District of Columbia);
(ii) Any State (including the District of Columbia) and any territory or possession of the United States;
(iii) Two or more of the territories or possessions of the United States; or
(iv) A State (including the District of Columbia), territory or possession of the United States and any foreign country.
(2) For purposes of this part, the export of goods or services from the United States and the import of goods or services into the United States are activities in United States commerce. In addition, the action of a domestic concern in specifically directing the activities of its controlled in fact foreign subsidiary, affiliate, or other permanent foreign establishment is an activity in United States commerce.
(3) Activities of a United States person located in the United States may be in United States commerce even if they are part of or ancillary to activities outside United States commerce. However, the fact that an ancillary activity is in United States commerce does not, in and of itself, mean that the underlying or related activity is in United States commerce.
(4) Hence, the action of a United States bank located in the United States in providing financing from the United States for a foreign transaction that is not in United States commerce is nonetheless itself in United States commerce. However, the fact that the financing is in United States commerce does not, in and of itself, make the underlying foreign transaction an activity in United States commerce, even if the underlying transaction involves a foreign company that is a United States person within the meaning of this part.
(5) Similarly, the action of a United States person located in the United States in providing financial, accounting, legal, t ransportation, or other ancillary services to its controlled in fact foreign subsidiary, affiliate, or other permanent foreign establishment in connection with a foreign transaction is in United States commerce. But the provision of such ancillary services will not, in and of itself, bring the foreign transaction of such subsidiary, affiliate, or permanent foreign establishment into United States commerce.
(6) Any transaction between a controlled in fact foreign subsidiary, affiliate, or other permanent foreign establishment of a domestic concern and a person located in the United States is an activity in United States commerce.
(7) Whether a transaction between such a foreign subsidiary, affiliate, or other permanent foreign establishment and a person located outside the United States is an activity in United States commerce is governed by the following rules.
(8) A transaction between a domestic concern's controlled in fact foreign subsidiary, affiliate, or other permanent foreign establishment and a person outside the United States, involving goods or services (including information but not including ancillary services) acquired from a person in the United States is in United States commerce under any of the following circumstances—
(i) If the goods or services were acquired for the purpose of filling an order from a person outside the United States;
(ii) If the goods or services were acquired for incorporation into, refining into, reprocessing into, or manufacture of another product for the purpose of filling an order from a person outside the United States;
(iii) If the goods or services were acquired for the purpose of fulfilling or engaging in any other transaction with a person outside the United States; or
(iv) If the goods were acquired and are ultimately used, without substantial alteration or modification, in filling an order from, or fulfilling or engaging in any other transaction with, a person outside the United States (whether or not the goods were originally acquired for that purpose). If the goods are indistinguishable as to origin from similar foreign-trade goods with which they have been mingled in a stockpile or inventory, the subsequent transaction involving the goods is presumed to be in United States commerce unless, at the time of filling the order, the foreign-origin inventory on hand was sufficient to fill the order.
(9) For purposes of this section, goods or services are considered to be acquired for the purpose of filling an order from or engaging in any other transaction with a person outside the United States where:
(i) They are purchased by the foreign subsidiary, affiliate, or other permanent foreign establishment upon the receipt of an order from or on behalf of a customer with the intention that the goods or services are to go to the customer;
(ii) They are purchased by the foreign subsidiary, affiliate, or other permanent foreign establishment to meet the needs of specified customers pursuant to understandings with those customers, although not for immediate delivery; or
(iii) They are purchased by the foreign subsidiary, affiliate, or other permanent foreign establishment based on the anticipated needs of specified customers.
(10) If any non-ancillary part of a transaction between a domestic concern's controlled foreign subsidiary, affiliate, or other permanent foreign establishment and a person outside the United States is in United States commerce, the entire transaction is in United States commerce. For example, if such a foreign subsidiary is engaged in filling an order from a non-United States customer both with goods acquired from the United States and with goods acquired elsewhere, the entire transaction with that customer is in United States commerce.
(11) A transaction between a domestic concern's controlled foreign subsidiary, affiliate, or other permanent foreign establishment and a person outside the United States, not involving the purchase, sale, or transfer of goods or services (including information) to or from a person in the United States, is not an activity in United States commerce.
(12) The activities of a domestic concern's controlled foreign subsidiary, affiliate, or other permanent foreign establishment with respect to goods acquired from a person in the United States are not in United States commerce where:
(i) They were acquired without reference to a specific order from or transaction with a person outside the United States; and
(ii) They were further manufactured, incorporated into, refined into, or reprocessed into another product.
(13) The activities of a domestic concern's controlled foreign subsidiary, affiliate, or other permanent foreign establishment with respect to services acquired from a person in the United States are not in United States commerce where:
(i) They were acquired without reference to a specific order from or transaction with a person outside the United States; or
(ii) They are ancillary to the transaction with the person outside the United States.
(14) For purposes of this section, services are ancillary services if they are provided to a controlled foreign subsidiary, affiliate, or other permanent foreign establishment primarily for its own use rather than for the use of a third person. These typically include financial, accounting, legal,transportation, and other services, whether provided by a domestic concern or an unrelated entity.
(15) Thus, the provision of the project financing by a United States bank located in the United States to a controlled foreign subsidiary unrelated to the bank is an ancillary service which will not cause the underlying transaction to be in United States commerce. By contrast, where a domestic concern, on behalf of its controlled foreign subsidiary, gives a guaranty of performance to a foreign country customer, that is a service provided to the customer and, as such, brings that subsidiary's transaction with the customer into United States commerce. Similarly, architectural or engineering services provided by a domestic concern in connection with its controlled foreign subsidiary's construction project in a third country are services passed through to the subsidiary's customer and, as such, bring that subsidiary's foreign transaction into United States commerce.
(16) Regardless of whether the subsequent disposition of goods or services from the United States is in United States commerce, the original acquisition of goods or services from a person in the United States is an activity in United States commerce subject to this part. Thus, if a domestic concern's controlled foreign subsidiary engages in a prohibited refusal to do business in stocking its inventory with goods from the United States, that action is subject to this part whether or not subsequent sales from that inventory are.
(17) In all the above, goods and services will be considered to have been acquired from a person in the United States whether they were acquired directly or indirectly through a third party, where the person acquiring the goods or services knows or expects, at the time he places the order, that they will be delivered from the United States.
(18) Implementation of a letter of credit in the United States by a United States person located in the United States, including a permanent United States establishment of a foreign concern, is an activity in United States commerce.
(19) Implementation of a letter of credit outside the United States by a United States person located outside the United States is in United States commerce where the letter of credit (a) specifies a United States address for the beneficiary, (b) calls for documents indicating shipment from the United States, or (c) calls for documents indicating that the goods are of United States origin.
(20) See § 760.2(f) of this part on “Letters of Credit” to determine the circumstances in which paying, honoring, confirming, or otherwise implementing a letter of credit is covered by this part.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which an activity is in the interstate or foreign commerce of the United States. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) U.S. company A exports goods from the United States to a foreign country. A's activity is in U.S. commerce, because A is exporting goods from the United States.
(ii) U.S. company A imports goods into the United States from a foreign country. A's activity is in U.S. commerce, because A is importing goods into the United States.
(iii) U.S. engineering company A supplies consulting services to its controlled foreign subsidiary, B. A's activity is in U.S. commerce, because A is exporting services from the United States.
(iv) U.S. company A supplies consulting services to foreign company B. B is unrelated to A or any other U.S. person.
A's activity is in U.S. commerce even though B, a foreign-owned company located outside the United States, is not subject to this part, because A is exporting services from the United States.
(v) Same as (iv), except A is a bank located in the United States and provides a construction loan to B.
A's activity is in U.S. commerce even though B is not subject to this part, because A is exporting financial services from the United States.
(vi) U.S. company A issues policy directives from time to time to its controlled foreign subsidiary, B, governing the conduct of B's activities with boycotting countries.
A's activity in directing the activities of its foreign subsidiary, B, is an activity in U.S. commerce.
(i) A, a controlled foreign subsidiary of U.S. company B, purchases goods from the United States.
A's purchase of goods from the United States is in U.S. commerce, because A is importing goods from the United States. Whether A's subsequent disposition of these goods is in U.S. commerce is irrelevant. Similarly, the fact that A purchased goods from the United States does not, in and of itself, make any subsequent disposition of those goods an activity in U.S. commerce.
(ii) A, a controlled foreign subsidiary of U.S. company B, receives an order from boycotting country Y for construction materials. A places an order with U.S. company B for the materials.
A's transaction with Y is an activity in U.S. commerce, because the materials are purchased from the United States for the purpose of filling the order from Y.
(iii) A, a controlled foreign subsidiary of U.S. company B, receives an order from boycotting country Y for construction materials. A places an order with U.S. company B for some of the materials, and with U.S. company C, an unrelated company, for the rest of the materials.
A's transaction with Y is an activity in U.S. commerce, because the materials are purchased from the United States for the purpose of filling the order from Y. It makes no difference whether the materials are ordered from B or C.
(iv) A, a controlled foreign subsidiary of U.S. company B, is in the wholesale and retail appliance sales business. A purchases finished air conditioning units from the United States from time to time in order to stock its inventory. A's inventory is also stocked with air conditioning units purchased outside the United States. A receives an order for air conditioning units from Y, a boycotting country. The order is filled with U.S.-origin units in A's inventory.
A's transaction with Y is in U.S. commerce, because its U.S.-origin goods are resold without substantial alteration.
(v) Same as (iv), except that A is in the chemicals distribution business. Its U.S.-origin goods are mingled in inventory with foreign-origin goods.
A's sale to Y of unaltered goods from its general inventory is presumed to be in U.S. commerce unless A can show that at the time of the sale the foreign-origin inventory on hand was sufficient to cover the shipment to Y.
(vi) A, a foreign subsidiary of U.S. company B, receives an order from boycotting country Y for computers. A places an order with U.S. company B for some of the components; with U.S. company C, an unrelated company, for other components; and with foreign company D for the rest of the components. A then assembles the computers and ships them to Y.
A's transaction with Y is an activity in U.S. commerce, because some of the components are acquired from the United States for purposes of filling an order from Y.
(vii) Same as (vi), except A purchases all the components from non-U.S.sources.
A's transaction with Y is not an activity in U.S. commerce, because it involves no export of goods from the United States. It makes no difference whether the technology A uses to manufacture computers was originally acquired from its U.S. parent.
(viii) A, a controlled foreign subsidiary of U.S. company B, manufactures computers. A stocks its general components and parts inventory with purchases made at times from the United States and at times from foreign sources. A receives an order from Y, a boycotting country, for computers. A fills that order by manufacturing the computers using materials from its general inventory.
A's transaction with Y is not in U.S. commerce, because the U.S.-origin components are not acquired for the purpose of meeting the anticipated needs of specified customers in Y. It is irrelevant that A's operations may be based on U.S.-origin technology.
(ix) Same as (viii), except that in anticipation of the order from Y, A orders and receives the necessary materials from the United States.
A's transaction with Y is in U.S. commerce, because the U.S.-origin goods were acquired for the purpose of filling an anticipated order from Y.
(x) A, a controlled foreign subsidiary of U.S. company B, manufactures typewriters. It buys typewriter components both from the United States and from foreign sources. A sells its output in various places throughout the world, including boycotting country Y. Its sales to Y vary from year to year, but have averaged approximately 20 percent of sales for the past five years. A expects that its sales to Y will remain at approximately that level in the years ahead although it has no contracts or orders from Y on hand.
A's sales of typewriters to Y are not in U.S. commerce, because the U.S. components are not acquired for the purpose of filling an order from Y. A general expectancy of future sales is not an “order” within the meaning of this section.
(xi) U.S. company A's corporate counsel provides legal advice to B, its controlled foreign subsidiary, on the applicability of this Part to B's transactions.
While provision of this legal advice is itself an activity in U.S. commerce, it does not, in and of itself, bring B's activities into U.S. commerce.
(xii) A, a controlled foreign subsidiary of U.S. company B, is in the general construction business. A enters into a contract with boycotting country Y to construct a power plant in Y. In preparing engineering drawings and specifications, A uses the advice and assistance of B.
A's transaction with Y is in U.S. commerce, because B's services are used for purposes of fulfilling the contract with Y. B's services are not ancillary services, because the engineering services in connection with construction of the power plant are part of the services ultimately provided to Y by A.
(xiii) Same as (xii), except that A gets no engineering advice or assistance from B. However, B's corporate counsel provides legal advice to A regarding the structure of the transaction. In addition, B's corporate counsel draws up the contract documents.
A's transaction with Y is not in U.S. commerce. The legal services provided to A are ancillary services, because they are not part of the services provided to Y by A in fulfillment of its contract with Y.
(xiv) A, a controlled foreign subsidiary of U.S. company B, enters into a contract to construct an apartment complex in boycotting country Y. A will fulfill its contract completely with goods and services from outside the United States. Pursuant to a provision in the contract, B guarantees A's performance of the contract.
A's transaction with Y is in U.S. commerce, because B's guaranty of A's performance involves the acquisition of services from the United States for purposes of fulfilling the transaction with Y, and those services are part of the services ultimately provided to Y.
(xv) Same as (xiv), except that the guaranty of A's performance is supplied by C, a non-U.S. person located outside the United States. However, unrelated to any particular transaction, B from time to time provides general financial, legal, and technical services to A.
A's transaction with Y is not in U.S. commerce, because the services acquired from the United States are not acquired for purposes of fulfilling the contract with Y.
(xvi) A, a foreign subsidiary of U.S. company B, has a contract with boycotting country Y to conduct oil drilling operations in that country. In conducting these operations, A from time to time seeks certain technical advice from B regarding the operation of the drilling rigs.
A's contract with Y is in U.S. commerce, because B's services are sought for purposes of fulfilling the contract with Y and are part of the services ultimately provided to Y.
(xvii) A, a controlled foreign subsidiary of U.S. company B, enters into a contract to sell typewriters to boycotting country Y. A is located in non-boycotting country P. None of the components are acquired from the United States. A engages C, a U.S. shipping company, to transport the typewriters from P to Y.
A's sales to Y are not in U.S. commerce, because in carrying A's goods, C is providing an ancillary service to A and not a service to Y.
(xviii) Same as (xvii), except that A's contract with Y calls for title to pass to Y in P. In addition, the contract calls for A to engage a carrier to make delivery to Y.
A's sales to Y are in U.S. commerce, because in carrying Y's goods, C is providing a service to A which is ultimately provided to Y.
(xix) A, a controlled foreign subsidiary of U.S. company B, has general product liability insurance with U.S. company C. Foreign-origin goods sold from time to time by A to boycotting country Y are covered by the insurance policy.
A's sales to Y are not in U.S. commerce, because the insurance provided by C is an ancillary service provided to A which is not ultimately provided to Y.
(xx) A, a controlled foreign subsidiary of U.S. company B, manufactures automobiles abroad under a license agreement with B. From time to time, A sells such goods to boycotting country Y.
A's sales to Y are not in U.S. commerce, because the rights conveyed by the license are not acquired for the specific purpose of engaging in transactions with Y.
(e) “Intent”. (1) This part prohibits a United States person from taking or knowingly agreeing to take certain specified actions with intent to comply with, further, or support an unsanctioned foreign boycott.
(2) A United States person has the intent to comply with, further, or support an unsanctioned foreign boycott when such a boycott is at least one of the reasons for that person's decision whether to take a particular prohibited action. So long as that is at least one of the reasons for that person's action, a violation occurs regardless of whether the prohibited action is also taken for non-boycott reasons. Stated differently, the fact that such action was taken for legitimate business reasons does not remove that action from the scope of this part if compliance with an unsanctioned foreign boycott was also a reason for the action.
(3) Intent is a necessary element of any violation of any of the prohibitions under § 760.2. It is not sufficient that one take action that is specifically prohibited by this part. It is essential that one take such action with intent to comply with, further,or support an unsanctioned foreign boycott. Accordingly, a person who inadvertently, without boycott intent, takes a prohibited action, does not commit any violation of this part.
(4) Intent in this context means the reason or purpose for one's behavior. It does not mean that one has to agree with the boycott in question or desire that it succeed or that it be furthered or supported. But it does mean that the reason why a particular prohibited action was taken must be established.
(5) Reason or purpose can be proved by circumstantial evidence. For example, if a person receives a request to supply certain boycott information, the furnishing of which is prohibited by this part, and he knowingly supplies that information in response, he clearly intends to comply with that boycott request. It is irrelevant that he may disagree with or object to the boycott itself. Information will be deemed to be furnished with the requisite intent if the person furnishing the information knows that it was sought for boycott purposes. On the other hand, if a person refuses to do business with someone who happens to be blacklisted, but the reason is because that person produces an inferior product, the requisite intent does not exist.
(6) Actions will be deemed to be taken with intent to comply with an unsanctioned foreign boycott if the person taking such action knew that such action was required or requested for boycott reasons. On the other hand, the mere absence of a business relationship with a blacklisted person or with or in a boycotted country does not indicate the existence of the requisite intent.
(7) In seeking to determine whether the requisite intent exists, all available evidence will be examined.
The following examples are intended to illustrate the factors which will be considered in determining whether the required intent exists. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) U.S. person A does business in boycotting country Y. In selecting firms to supply goods for shipment to Y, A chooses supplier B because B's products are less expensive and of higher quality than the comparable products of supplier C. A knows that C is blacklisted, but that is not a reason for A's selection of B.
A's choice of B rather than C is not action with intent to comply with Y's boycott, because C's blacklist status is not a reason for A's action.
(ii) Same as (i), except that A chooses B rather than C in part because C is blacklisted by Y.
Since C's blacklist status is a reason for A's choice, A's action is taken with intent to comply with Y's boycott.
(iii) U.S. person A bids on a tender issued by boycotting country Y. A inadvertently fails to notice a prohibited certification which appears in the tender document. A's bid is accepted.
A's action in bidding was not taken with intent to comply with Y's boycott, because the boycott was not a reason for A's action.
(iv) U.S. bank A engages in letter of credit transactions, in favor of U.S. beneficiaries, involving the shipments of U.S. goods to boycotting country Y. As A knows, such letters of credit routinely contain conditions requiring prohibited certifications. A fails to take reasonable steps to prevent the implementation of such letters of credit. A receives for implementation a letter of credit which in fact contains a prohibited condition but does not examine the letter of credit to determine whether it contains such a condition.
Although Y's boycott may not be a specific reason for A's action in implementing the letter of credit with a prohibited condition, all available evidence shows that A's action was taken with intent to comply with the boycott, because A knows or should know that its procedures result in compliance with the boycott.
(v) U.S. bank A engages in letter of credit transactions, in favor of U.S. beneficiaries, involving the shipment of U.S. goods to boycotting country Y. As A knows, the documentation accompanying such letters of credit sometimes contains prohibited certifications. In accordance with standard banking practices applicable to A, it does not examine such accompanying documentation. A receives a letter of credit in favor of a U.S. beneficiary. The letter of credit itself contains no prohibited conditions. However, the accompanying documentation, which A does not examine, does contain such a condition.
All available evidence shows that A's action in implementing the letter of credit was not taken with intent to comply with the boycott, because A has no affirmative obligation to go beyond applicable standard banking practices in implementing letters of credit.
(vi) A, a U.S. company, is considering opening a manufacturing facility in boycotted country X. A already has such a facility in boycotting country Y. After exploring the possibilities in X, A concludes that the market does not justify the move. A is aware that if it did open a plant in X, Y might object because of Y's boycott of X. However Y's possible objection is not a reason for A's decision not to open a plant in X.
A's decision not to proceed with the plant in X is not action with intent to comply with Y's boycott, because Y's boycott of X is not a reason for A's decision.
(vii) Same as (vi), except that after exploring the business possibilities in X, A concludes that the market does justify the move to X. However, A does not open the plant because of Y's possible objections due to Y's boycott of X.
A's decision not to proceed with the plant in X is action taken with intent to comply with Y's boycott, because Y's boycott is a reason for A's decision.
(viii) A, a U.S. chemical manufacturer, receives a “boycott questionnaire” from boycotting country Y asking, among other things, whether A has any plants located in boycotted country X. A, which has never supported Y's boycott of X, responds to Y's questionnaire, indicating affirmatively that it does have plants in X and that it intends to continue to have plants in X.
A's responding to Y's questionnaire is deemed to be action with intent to comply with Y's boycott because A knows that the questionnaire is boycott-related. It is irrelevant that A does not also wish to support Y's boycott.
(ix) U.S. company A has a manufacturing facility in boycotted country X. A receives an invitation to bid on a construction project in boycotting country Y. The invitation states that all bidders must complete a boycott questionnaire and send it in with the bid. The questionnaire asks for information about A's business relationships with X. Regardless of whether A's bid is successful, A intends to continue its business in X undiminished and in fact is exploring and intends to continue exploring an expansion of its activities in X without regard to Y's boycott.
A may not answer the questionnaire, because, despite A's intentions with regard to its business operations in X, Y's request for completion of the questionnaire is for boycott purposes and by responding, A's action would be taken with intent to comply with Y's boycott.
§ 760.2   Prohibitions.
(a) Refusals to do business.
(1) No United States person may: refuse, knowingly agree to refuse, require any other person to refuse, or knowingly agree to require any other person to refuse, to do business with or in a boycotted country, with any business concern organized under the laws of a boycotted country, with any national or resident of a boycotted country, or with any other person, when such refusal is pursuant to an agreement with the boycotting country, or a requirement of the boycotting country, or a request from or on behalf of the boycotting country.
(2) Generally, a refusal to do business under this section consists of action that excludes a person or country from a transaction for boycott reasons. This includes a situation in which a United States person chooses or selects one person over another on a boycott basis or takes action to carry out another person's boycott-based selection when he knows or has reason to know that the other person's selection is boycott-based.
(3) Refusals to do business which are prohibited by this section include not only specific refusals, but also refusals implied by a course or pattern of conduct. There need not be a specific offer and refusal to constitute a refusal to do business; a refusal may occur when a United States person has a financial or commercial opportunity and declines for boycott reasons to consider or accept it.
(4) A United States person's use of either a boycott-based list of persons with whom he will not deal (a so-called “blacklist”) or a boycott-based list of persons with whom he will deal (a so-called “whitelist”) constitutes a refusal to do business.
(5) An agreement by a United States person to comply generally with the laws of the boycotting country with which it is doing business or an agreement that local laws of the boycotting country shall apply or govern is not, in and of itself, a refusal to do business. Nor, in and of itself, is use of a contractual clause explicitly requiring a person to assume the risk of loss of non-delivery of his products a refusal to do business with any person who will not or cannot comply with such a clause. (But see § 760.4 of this part on “Evasion.”)
(6) If, for boycott reasons, a United States general manager chooses one supplier over another, or enters into a contract with one supplier over another, or advises its client to do so, then the general manager's actions constitute a refusal to do business under this section. However, it is not a refusal to do business under this section for a United States person to provide management, procurement, or other pre-award services for another person so long as the provision of such pre-award services is customary for that firm (or industry of which the firm is a part), without regard to the boycotting or non-boycotting character of the countries in which they are performed, and the United States person, in providing such services, does not act to exclude a person or country from the transaction for boycott reasons, or otherwise take actions that are boycott-based. For example, a United States person under contract to provide general management services in connection with a construction project in a boycotting country may compile lists of qualified bidders for the client if that service is a customary one and if persons who are qualified are not excluded from that list because they are blacklisted.
(7) With respect to post-award services, if a client makes a boycott-based selection, actions taken by the United States general manager or contractor to carry out the client's choice are themselves refusals to do business if the United States contractor knows or has reason to know that the client's choice was boycott-based. (It is irrelevant whether the United States contractor also provided pre-award services.) Such actions include entering into a contract with the selected supplier, notifying the supplier of the client's choice, executing a contract on behalf of the client, arranging for inspection and shipment of the supplier's goods, or taking any other action to effect the client's choice. (But see § 760.3(d) on “Compliance with Unilateral Selection” as it may apply to post-award services.)
(8) An agreement is not a prerequisite to a violation of this section since the prohibition extends to actions taken pursuant not only to agreements but also to requirements of, and requests from or on behalf of, a boycotting country.
(9) Agreements under this section may be either express or implied by a course or pattern of conduct. There need not be a direct request from a boycotting country for action by a United States person to have been taken pursuant to an agreement with or requirement of a boycotting country.
(10) This prohibition, like all others, applies only with respect to a United States person's activities in the interstate or foreign commerce of the United States and only when such activities are undertaken with intent to comply with, further, or support an unsanctioned foreign boycott. The mere absence of a business relationship with or in the boycotted country, with any business concern organized under the laws of the boycotted country, with national(s) or resident(s) of the boycotted country, or with any other person does not indicate the existence of the required intent.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which, in a boycott situation, a refusal to do business or an agreement to refuse to do business is prohibited. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) A, a U.S. manufacturer, receives an order for its products from boycotting country Y. To fill that order, A solicits bids from U.S. companies B and C, manufacturers of components used in A's products. A does not, however, solicit bids from U.S. companies D or E, which also manufacture such components, because it knows that D and E are restricted from doing business in Y and that their products are, therefore, not importable into that country.
Company A may not refuse to solicit bids from D and E for boycott reasons, because to do so would constitute a refusal to do business with those persons.
(ii) A, a U.S. exporter, uses company B, a U.S. insurer, to insure the shipment of its goods to all its overseas customers. For the first time, A receives an order for its products from boycotting country Y. Knowing that B is on the blacklist of Y, A arranges with company C, a non-blacklisted U.S. insurer, to insure the shipment of its goods to Y.
A's action constitutes a refusal to do business with B.
(iii) A, a U.S. exporter, purchases all its liability insurance from company B, a U.S. company that does business in boycotted country X. A wishes to expand its operations into country Y, the boycotting country. Before doing so, A decides to switch from insurer B to insurer C in anticipation of a request from Y that A sever its relations with B as a condition of doing business in Y.
A may not switch insurers for this reason, because doing so would constitute a refusal to do business with B.
(iv) U.S. company A exports goods to boycotting country Y. In selecting vessels to transport the goods to Y, A chooses only from among carriers which call at ports in Y.
A's action is not a refusal to do business with carriers which do not call at ports in Y.
(v) A, a U.S. bank with a branch office in boycotting country Y, sends representatives to boycotted country X to discuss plans for opening a branch office in X. Upon learning of these discussions, an official of the local boycott office in Y advises A's local branch manager that if A opens an office in X it will no longer be allowed to do business in Y. As a result of this notification, A decides to abandon its plans to open a branch in X.
Bank A may not abandon its plans to open a branch in X as a result of Y's notification, because doing so would constitute a refusal to do business in boycotted country X.
(vi) A, a U.S. company that manufactures office equipment, has been restricted from doing business in boycotting country Y because of its business dealings with boycotted country X. In an effort to have itself removed from Y's blacklist, A ceases its business in X.
A's action constitutes a refusal to do business in boycotted country X.
(vii) A, a U.S. computer company, does business in boycotting country Y. A decides to explore business opportunities in boycotted country X. After careful analysis of possible business opportunities in X, A decides, solely for business reasons, not to market its products in X.
A's decision not to proceed is not a refusal to do business, because it is not based on boycott considerations. A has no affirmative obligation to do business in X.
(viii) A, a U.S. oil company with operations in boycotting country Y, has regularly purchased equipment from U.S. petroleum equipment suppliers B, C, and D, none of whom is on the blacklist of Y. Because of its satisfactory relationship with B, C, and D, A has not dealt with other suppliers, including supplier E, who is blacklisted by Y.
A's failure affirmatively to seek or secure business with blacklisted supplier E is not a refusal to do business with E.
(ix) Same as (viii), except U.S. petroleum equipment supplier E, a company on boycotting country Y's blacklist, offers to supply U.S. oil company A with goods comparable to those provided by U.S. suppliers B, C, and D. A, because it has satisfactorily, established relationships with suppliers B, C, and D, does not accept supplier E's offer.
A's refusal of supplier E's offer is not a refusal to do business, because it is based solely on non-boycott considerations. A has no affirmative obligation to do business with E.
(x) A, a U.S. construction company, enters into a contract to build an office complex in boycotting country Y. A receives bids from B and C, U.S. companies that are equally qualified suppliers of electrical cable for the project. A knows that B is blacklisted by Y and that C is not. A accepts C's bid, in part because C is as qualified as the other potential supplier and in part because C is not blacklisted.
A's decision to select supplier C instead of blacklisted supplier B is a refusal to do business, because the boycott was one of the reasons for A's decision.
(xi) A, a U.S. general contractor, has been retained to construct a highway in boycotting country Y. A circulates an invitation to bid to U.S. manufacturers of road-building equipment. One of the conditions listed in the invitation to bid is that, in order for A to obtain prompt service, suppliers will be required to maintain a supply of spare parts and a service facility in Y. A includes this condition solely for commercial reasons unrelated to the boycott. Because of this condition, however, those suppliers on Y's blacklist do not bid, since they would be unable to satisfy the parts and services requirements.
A's action is not a refusal to do business, because the contractual condition was included solely for legitimate business reasons and was not boycott-based.
(xii) Company A, a U.S. oil company, purchases drill bits from U.S. suppliers for export to boycotting country Y. In its purchase orders, A includes a provision requiring the supplier to make delivery to A's facilities in Y and providing that title to the goods does not pass until delivery has been made. As is customary under such an arrangement, the supplier bears all risks of loss, including loss from fire, theft, perils of the sea, and inability to clear customs, until title passes.
Insistence on such an arrangement does not constitute a refusal to do business, because this requirement is imposed on all suppliers whether they are blacklisted or not. (But see § 760.4 on “Evasion”.)
(xiii) A, a U.S. engineering and construction company, contracts with a government agency in boycotting country Y to perform a variety of services in connection with the construction of a large industrial facility in Y. Pursuant to this contract, A analyzes the market of prospective suppliers, compiles a suggested bidders list, analyzes the bids received, and makes recommendations to the client. The client independently selects and awards the contract to supplier C for boycott reasons. All of A's services are performed without regard to Y's blacklist or any other boycott considerations, and are the type of services A provides clients in both boycotting and non-boycotting countries.
A's actions do not constitute a refusal to do business, because, in the provision of pre-award services, A has not excluded the other bidders and because A customarily provides such services to its clients.
(xiv) Same as (xiii), except that in compiling a list of prospective suppliers, A deletes suppliers he knows his client will refuse to select because they are blacklisted. A knows that including the names of blacklisted suppliers will neither enhance their chances of being selected nor provide his client with a useful service, the function for which he has been retained.
A's actions, which amount to furnishing a so-called “whitelist”, constitute refusals to do business, because A's pre-award services have not been furnished without regard to boycott considerations.
(xv) A, a U.S. construction firm, provides its boycotting country client with a permissible list of prospective suppliers, B, C, D, and E. The client independently selects and awards the contract to C, for boycott reasons, and then requests A to advise C of his selection, negotiate the contract with C, arrange for the shipment, and inspect the goods upon arrival. A knows that C was chosen by the client for boycott reasons.
A's action in complying with his client's direction is a refusal to do business, because A's post-award actions carry out his client's boycott-based decision. (Note: Whether A's action comes within the unilateral selection exception depends upon factors discussed in § 760.3(d) of this part).
(xvi) Same as (xv), except that A is building the project on a turnkey basis and will retain title until completion. The client instructs A to contract only with C.
A's action in contracting with C constitutes a refusal to do business, because it is action that excludes blacklisted persons from the transaction for boycott reasons. (Note: Whether A's action comes within the unilateral selection exception depends upon factors discussed in § 760.3(d) of this part).
(xvii) A, a U.S. exporter of machine tools, receives an order for drill presses from boycotting country Y. The cover letter from Y's procurement official states that A was selected over other U.S. manufacturers in part because A is not on Y's blacklist.
A's action in filling this order is not a refusal to do business, because A has not excluded anyone from the transaction.
(xviii) A, a U.S. engineering firm under contract to construct a dam in boycotting country Y, compiles, on a non-boycott basis, a list of potential heavy equipment suppliers, including information on their qualifications and prior experience. A then solicits bids from the top three firms on its list—B, C, and D—because they are the best qualified. None of them happens to be blacklisted. A does not solicit bids from E, F, or G, the next three firms on the list, one of whom is on Y's blacklist.
A's decision to solicit bids from only B, C, and D, is not a refusal to do business with any person, because the solicited bidders were not selected for boycott reasons.
(xix) U.S. bank A receives a letter of credit in favor of U.S. beneficiary B. The letter of credit requires B to certify that he is not blacklisted. B meets all other conditions of the letter of credit but refuses to certify as to his blacklist status. A refuses to pay B on the letter of credit solely because B refuses to certify as to his blacklist status.
A has refused to do business with another person pursuant to a boycott requirement or request.
(xx) U.S. bank A receives a letter of credit in favor of U.S. beneficiary B. The letter of credit requires B to provide a certification from the steamship line that the vessel carrying the goods is not blacklisted. B seeks payment from A and meets all other conditions of the letter of credit but refuses or is unable to provide the certification from the steamship line about the vessel's blacklist status. A refuses to pay B on the letter of credit solely because B cannot or will not provide the certification.
A has required another person to refuse to do business pursuant to a boycott requirement or request by insisting that B obtain such a certificate. (Either A or B may request an amendment to the letter of credit substituting a certificate of vessel eligibility, however. See Example (xxi) below).
(xxi) U.S. bank A receives a letter of credit from a bank in boycotting country Y in favor of U.S. beneficiary B. The letter of credit requires B to provide a certification from the steamship line that the vessel carrying the goods is eligible to enter the ports in Y. B seeks payment from A and meets all other conditions of the letter of credit. A refuses to pay B solely because B cannot or will not provide the certification.
A has neither refused, nor required another person to refuse, to do business with another person pursuant to a boycott requirement or request because a request for a vessel eligibility certificate to be furnished by the steamship line is not a prohibited condition. (See supplement no. 1 to this part, paragraph (I)(B), “Shipping Certificate”.)
(xxii) U.S. bank A confirms a letter of credit in favor of U.S. beneficiary B. The letter of credit contains a requirement that B certify that he is not blacklisted. B presents the letter of credit to U.S. bank C, a correspondent of bank A. B does not present the certificate of blacklist status to bank C, but, in accordance with these rules, bank C pays B, and then presents the letter of credit and documentation to bank A for reimbursement. Bank A refuses to reimburse bank C because the blacklist certification of B is not included in the documentation.
A has required another person to refuse to do business with a person pursuant to a boycott requirement or request by insisting that C obtain the certificate from B.
(xxiii) U.S. bank A receives a letter of credit in favor of U.S. beneficiary B. The letter of credit requires B to certify that he is not blacklisted. B fails to provide such a certification when he presents the documents to A for payment. A notifies B that the certification has not been submitted.
A has not refused to do business with another person pursuant to a boycott requirement by notifying B of the omitted certificate. A may not refuse to pay on the letter of credit, however, if B states that B will not provide such a certificate.
(xxiv) U.S. bank A receives a letter of credit in favor of U.S. beneficiary B from the issuing bank for the purpose of confirmation, negotiation or payment. The letter of credit requires B to certify that he is not blacklisted. A notifies B that it is contrary to the policy of A to handle letters of credit containing this condition and that, unless an amendment is obtained deleting this condition, A will not implement the letter of credit.
A has not refused to do business with another person pursuant to a boycott requirement, because A has indicated its policy against implementing the letter of credit containing the term without regard to B's ability or willingness to furnish such a certificate.
(i) A, a U.S. construction firm, is retained by an agency of boycotting country Y to build a primary school. The proposed contract contains a clause stating that A “may not use goods or services in the project that are produced or provided by any person restricted from having a business relationship with country Y by reason of Y's boycott against country X”.
A's action in entering into such a contract would constitute an agreement to refuse to do business, because it is an agreement to exclude blacklisted persons from the transaction. A may, however, renegotiate this clause so that it does not contain terms prohibited by this part.
(ii) A, a U.S. manufacturer of commercial refrigerators and freezers, receives an invitation to bid from boycotting country Y. The tender states that the bidder must agree not to deal with companies on Y's blacklist. A does not know which companies are on the blacklist; however, A submits a bid without taking exception to the boycott conditions. A's bid makes no commitment regarding not dealing with certain companies.
At the point when A submits its bid without taking exception to the boycott request in Y's tender, A has agreed to refuse to do business with blacklisted persons, because the terms of Y's tender require A to agree to refuse to do business.
(iii) A, a U.S. construction firm, is offered a contract to perform engineering and construction services in connection with a project located in boycotting country Y. The contract contains a clause stating that, in the event of a contract dispute, the laws of Y will apply.
A may enter into the contract. Agreement that the laws of boycotting country Y will control in resolving a contract dispute is not an agreement to refuse to do business.
(iv) Same as (iii), except that the contract contains a clause that A and its employees will comply with the laws of boycotting country Y. A knows that Y has a number of boycott laws.
Such an agreement is not, in and of itself, an agreement to refuse to do business. If, however, A subsequently refuses to do business with someone because of the laws of Y, A's action would be a refusal to do business.
(v) Same as (iv), except that the contract contains a clause that A and its employees will comply with the laws of boycotting country Y, “including boycott laws.”
A's agreeing, without qualification, to comply with local boycott laws constitutes an agreement to refuse to do business.
(vi) Same as (v), except that A inserts a proviso “except insofar as Y's laws conflict with U.S. laws,” or words to that effect.
Such an agreement is not an agreement to refuse to do business.
(vii) A, a U.S. general contractor, is retained to construct a pipeline in boycotting country Y. A provision in the proposed contract stipulates that in purchasing equipment, supplies, and services A must give preference to companies located in host country Y.
A may agree to this contract provision. Agreeing to a “buy local” contract provision is not an agreement to refuse to do business, because A's agreement is not made for boycott reasons.
(viii) A, a U.S. exporter planning to sell retail goods to customers in boycotting country Y, enters into a contract to purchase goods wholesale from B, a U.S. appliance manufacturer. A's contract with B includes a provision stipulating that B may not use components or services of blacklisted companies in the manufacture of its appliances.
A's contract constitutes a refusal to do business, because it would require another person, B, to refuse to do business with other persons for boycott reasons. B may not agree to such a contract, because it would be agreeing to refuse to do business with other persons for boycott reasons.
(ix) Same as (viii), except that A and B reach an implicit understanding that B will not use components or services of blacklisted companies in the manufacture of goods to be exported to Y. In the manufacture of appliances to be sold to A for export to non-boycotting countries, B uses components manufactured by blacklisted companies.
The actions of both A and B constitute agreement to refuse to do business. The agreement is implied by their pattern of conduct.
(x) Boycotting country Y orders goods from U.S. company B. Y opens a letter of credit with foreign bank C in favor of B. The letter of credit specifies that negotiation of the letter of credit with a bank that appears on the country X boycott blacklist is prohibited. U.S. bank A, C's correspondent bank, advises B of the letter of credit. B presents documentation to bank A seeking to be paid on the letter of credit, without amending or otherwise taking exception to the boycott condition.
B has agreed to refuse to do business with blacklisted banks because, by presenting the letter of credit for payment, B has accepted all of its terms and conditions.
(b) Discriminatory actions.
(1) No United States person may:
(i) Refuse to employ or otherwise discriminate against any individual who is a United States person on the basis of race, religion, sex, or national origin;
(ii) Discriminate against any corporation or other organization which is a United States person on the basis of the race, religion, sex, or national origin of any owner, officer, director, or employee of such corporation or organization;
(iii) Knowingly agree to take any of the actions described in paragraph (b)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section; or
(iv) Require or knowingly agree to require any other person to take any of the actions described in paragraph (b)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section.
(2) This prohibition shall apply whether the discriminatory action is taken by a United States person on its own or in response to an agreement with, request from, or requirement of a boycotting country. This prohibition, like all others, applies only with respect to a United States person's activities in the interstate or foreign commerce of the United States and only when such activities are undertaken with intent to comply with, further, or support an unsanctioned foreign boycott.
(3) The section does not supersede or limit the operation of the civil rights laws of the United States.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which the taking of particular discriminatory actions is prohibited. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) U.S. construction company A is awarded a contract to build an office complex in boycotting country Y. A, believing that employees of a particular religion will not be permitted to work in Y because of Y's boycott against country X, excludes U.S. persons of that religion from consideration for employment on the project.
A's refusal to consider qualified U.S. persons of a particular religion for work on the project in Y constitutes a prohibited boycott-based discriminatory action against U.S. persons on the basis of religion.
(ii) Same as (i), except that a clause in the contract provides that “no persons of country X origin are to work on this project.”
A's agreement constitutes a prohibited boycott-based agreement to discriminate against U.S. persons, among others, on the basis of national origin.
(iii) Same as (i), except that a clause in the contract provides that “no persons who are citizens, residents, or nationals of country X are to work on this project.”
A's agreement does not constitute a boycott-based agreement to discriminate against U.S. persons on the basis of race, religion, sex, or national origin, because the clause requires exclusion on the basis of citizenship, residency, and nationality only.
(iv) U.S. construction company A enters into a contract to build a school in boycotting country Y. Y's representative orally tells A that no persons of country X origin are to work on the project.
A may not comply, because to do so would constitute discrimination on the basis of national origin.
It makes no difference that A learned of Y's requirement orally. It makes no difference how A learns about Y's discriminatory requirement.
(v) Boycotting country Y tenders an invitation to bid on a construction project in Y. The tender requires that the successful bidder's personnel will be interviewed and that persons of a particular religious faith will not be permitted to work on the project. Y's requirement is based on its boycott of country X, the majority of whose citizens are of that particular faith.
Agreement to this provision in the tender document by a U.S. person would constitute a prohibited agreement to engage in boycott-based discrimination against U.S. persons of a particular religion.
(vi) Same as (v), except that the tender specifies that “women will not be allowed to work on this project.”
Agreement to this provision in the tender by a U.S. person does not constitute a prohibited agreement to engage in boycott-based discrimination, because the restriction against employment of women is not boycott-based. Such an agreement may, however, constitute a violation of U.S. civil rights laws.
(vii) A is a U.S. investment banking firm. As a condition of participating in an underwriting of securities to be issued by boycotting country Y, A is required to exclude investment banks owned by persons of a particular faith from participation in the underwriting. Y's requirement is based on its boycott of country X, the majority of whose citizens are of that particular faith.
A's agreement to such a provision constitutes a prohibited agreement to engage in boycott-based discrimination against U.S. persons on the basis of religion. Further, if A requires others to agree to such a condition, A would be acting to require another person to engage in such discrimination.
(viii) U.S. company A is asked by boycotting country Y to certify that A will not use a six-pointed star on the packaging of its products to be imported into Y. The requirement is part of the enforcement effort by Y of its boycott against country X.
A may not so certify. The six-pointed star is a religious symbol, and the certification by A that it will not use such a symbol constitutes a statement that A will not ship products made or handled by persons of that religion.
(ix) Same as (viii), except that A is asked to certify that no symbol of boycotted country X will appear on the packaging of its products imported into Y.
Such a certification conveys no statement about any person's religion and, thus, does not come within this prohibition.
(c) Furnishing information about race, religion, sex, or national origin.
(1) No United States person may:
(i) Furnish information about the race, religion, sex, or national origin of any United States person;
(ii) Furnish information about the race, religion, sex, or national origin of any owner, officer, director, or employee of any corporation or other organization which is a United States person;
(iii) Knowingly agree to furnish information about the race, religion, sex, or national origin of any United States person; or
(iv) Knowingly agree to furnish information about the race, religion, sex, or national origin of any owner, officer, director, or employee of any corporation or other organization which is a United States person.
(2) This prohibition shall apply whether the information is specifically requested or is offered voluntarily by the United States person. It shall also apply whether the information requested or volunteered is stated in the affirmative or the negative.
(3) Information about the place of birth of or the nationality of the parents of a United States person comes within this prohibition, as does information in the form of code words or symbols which could identify a United States person's race, religion, sex, or national origin.
(4) This prohibition, like all others, applies only with respect to a United States person's activities in the interstate or foreign commerce of the United States and only when such activities are undertaken with intent to comply with, further, or support an unsanctioned foreign boycott.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which the furnishing of discriminatory information is prohibited. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) U.S. company A receives a boycott questionnaire from boycotting country Y asking whether it is owned or controlled by persons of a particular faith, whether it has any persons on its board of directors who are of that faith, and what the national origin of its president is. The information is sought for purposes of enforcing Y's boycott against country X, and A knows or has reason to know that the information is sought for that reason.
A may not answer the questionnaire, because A would be furnishing information about the religion and national origin of U.S. persons for purposes of complying with or supporting Y's boycott against X.
(ii) U.S. company A, located in the United States, is asked by boycotting country Y to certify that A has no persons of a particular national origin on its board of directors. A knows that Y's purpose in asking for the certification is to enforce its boycott against country X.
A may not make such a certification, because A would be furnishing information about the national origin of U.S. persons for purposes of complying with or supporting Y's boycott against X.
(iii) U.S. company A believes that boycotting country Y will select A's bid over those of other bidders if A volunteers that it has no shareholders, officers, or directors of a particular national origin. A's belief is based on its knowledge that Y generally refuses, as part of its boycott against country X, to do business with companies owned, controlled, or managed by persons of this particular national origin.
A may not volunteer this information, because it would be furnishing information about the national origin of U.S. persons for purposes of complying with or supporting Y's boycott against X.
(iv) U.S. company A has a contract to construct an airport in boycotting country Y. Before A begins work, A is asked by Y to identify the national origin of its employees who will work on the site. A knows or has reason to know that Y is seeking this information in order to enforce its boycott against X.
A may not furnish this information, because A would be providing information about the national origin of U.S. persons for purposes of complying with or supporting Y's boycott against X.
(v) Same as (iv), except that in order to assemble its work force on site in Y, A sends visa forms to its employees and asks that the forms be returned to A for transmittal to Y's consulate or embassy. A, itself, furnishes no information about its employees, but merely transmits the visa forms back and forth.
In performing the ministerial function of transmitting visa forms, A is not furnishing information about any U.S. person's race, religion, sex, or national origin.
(vi) Same as (iv), except that A is asked by Y to certify that none of its employees in Y will be women, because Y's laws prohibit women from working.
Such a certification does not constitute a prohibited furnishing of information about any U.S. person's sex, since the reason the information is sought has nothing to do with Y's boycott of X.
(vii) U.S. company A is considering establishing an office in boycotting country Y. In order to register to do business in Y, A is asked to furnish information concerning the nationalities of its corporate officers and board of directors.
A may furnish the information about the nationalities of its officers and directors, because in so doing A would not be furnishing information about the race, religion, sex, or national origin of any U.S. person.
(d) Furnishing information about business relationships with boycotted countries or blacklisted persons.
(1) No United States person may furnish or knowingly agree to furnish information concerning his or any other person's past, present or proposed business relationships:
(i) With or in a boycotted country;
(ii) With any business concern organized under the laws of a boycotted country;
(iii) With any national or resident of a boycotted country; or
(iv) With any other person who is known or believed to be restricted from having any business relationship with or in a boycotting country.
(2) This prohibition shall apply:
(i) Whether the information pertains to a business relationship involving a sale, purchase, or supply transaction; legal or commercial representation; shipping or other transportation transaction; insurance; investment; or any other type of business transaction or relationship; and
(ii) Whether the information is directly or indirectly requested or is furnished on the initiative of the United States person.
(3) This prohibition does not apply to the furnishing of normal business information in a commercial context. Normal business information may relate to factors such as financial fitness, technical competence, or professional experience, and may be found in documents normally available to the public such as annual reports, disclosure statements concerning securities, catalogs, promotional brochures, and trade and business handbooks. Such information may also appear in specifications or statements of experience and qualifications.
(4) Normal business information furnished in a commercial context does not cease to be such simply because the party soliciting the information may be a boycotting country or a national or resident thereof. If the information is of a type which is generally sought for a legitimate business purpose (such as determining financial fitness, technical competence, or professional experience), the information may be furnished even if the information could be used, or without the knowledge of the person supplying the information is intended to be used, for boycott purposes. However, no information about business relationships with blacklisted persons or boycotted countries, their residents or nationals, may be furnished in response to a boycott request, even if the information is publicly available. Requests for such information from a boycott office will be presumed to be boycott-based.
(5) This prohibition, like all others, applies only with respect to a United States person's activities in the interstate or foreign commerce of the United States and only when such activities are undertaken with intent to comply with, further, or support an unsanctioned foreign boycott.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which the furnishing of information is prohibited. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) U.S. contractor A is considering bidding for a contract to build a dam in boycotting country Y. The invitation to bid, which appears in a trade journal, specifies that each bidder must state that he does not have any offices in boycotted country X. A knows or has reason to know that the requirement is boycott-based.
A may not make this statement, because it constitutes information about A's business relationships with X.
(ii) U.S. contractor A is considering bidding for a contract to construct a school in boycotting country Y. Each bidder is required to submit copies of its annual report with its bid. Since A's annual report describes A's worldwide operations, including the countries in which it does business, it necessarily discloses whether A has business relations with boycotted country X. A has no reason to know that its report is being sought for boycott purposes.
A, in furnishing its annual report, is supplying ordinary business information in a commercial context.
(iii) Same as (ii), except that accompanying the invitation to bid is a questionnaire from country Y's boycott office asking each bidder to supply a copy of its annual report.
A may not furnish the annual report despite its public availability, because it would be furnishing information in response to a questionnaire from a boycott office.
(iv) U.S. company A is on boycotting country Y's blacklist. For reasons unrelated to the boycott, A terminates its business relationships with boycotted country X. In exploring other marketing areas, A determines that boycotting country Y offers great potential. A is requested to complete a questionnaire from a central boycott office which inquires about A's business relations with X.
A may not furnish the information, because it is information about A's business relationships with a boycotted country.
(v) U.S. exporter A is seeking to sell its products to boycotting country Y. A is informed by Y that, as a condition of sale, A must certify that it has no salesmen in boycotted country X. A knows or has reason to know that the condition is boycott-based.
A may not furnish the certification, because it is information about A's business relationships in a boycotted country.
(vi) U.S. engineering company A receives an invitation to bid on the construction of a dam in boycotting country Y. As a condition of the bid, A is asked to certify that it does not have any offices in boycotted country X. A is also asked to furnish plans for other dams it has designed.
A may not certify that it has no office in X, because this is information about its business relationships in a boycotted country. A may submit plans for other dams it has designed, because this is furnishing normal business information, in a commercial context, relating to A's technical competence and professional experience.
(vii) U.S. company A, in seeking to expand its exports to boycotting country Y, sends a sales representative to Y for a one week trip. During a meeting in Y with trade association representatives, A's representative desires to explain that neither A nor any companies with which A deals has any business relationship with boycotted country X. The purpose of supplying such information is to ensure that A does not get blacklisted.
A's representative may not volunteer this information even though A, for reasons unrelated to the boycott, does not deal with X, because A's representative would be volunteering information about A's business relationships with X for boycott reasons.
(viii) U.S. company A is asked by boycotting country Y to furnish information concerning its business relationships with boycotted country X. A, knowing that Y is seeking the information for boycott purposes, refuses to furnish the information asked for directly, but proposes to respond by supplying a copy of its annual report which lists the countries with which A is presently doing business. A does not happen to be doing business with X.
A may not respond to Y's request by supplying its annual report, because A knows that it would be responding to a boycott-based request for information about its business relationships with X.
(ix) U.S. company A receives a letter from a central boycott office asking A to “clarify” A's operations in boycotted country X. A intends to continue its operations in X, but fears that not responding to the request will result in its being placed on boycotting country Y's blacklist. A knows or has reason to know that the information is sought for boycott reasons.
A may not respond to this request, because the information concerns its business relationships with a boycotted country.
(x) U.S. company A, in the course of negotiating a sale of its goods to a buyer in boycotting country Y, is asked to certify that its supplier is not on Y's blacklist.
A may not furnish the information about its supplier's blacklist status, because this is information about A's business relationships with another person who is believed to be restricted from having any business relationship with or in a boycotting country.
(xi) U.S. company A has a manufacturing plant in boycotted country X and is on boycotting country Y's blacklist. A is seeking to establish operations in Y, while expanding its operations in X. A applies to Y to be removed from Y's blacklist. A is asked, in response, to indicate whether it has manufacturing facilities in X.
A may not supply the requested information, because A would be furnishing information about its business relationships in a boycotted country.
(xii) U.S. bank A plans to open a branch office in boycotting country Y. In order to do so, A is required to furnish certain information about its business operations, including the location of its other branch offices. Such information is normally sought in other countries where A has opened a branch office, and A does not have reason to know that Y is seeking the information for boycott reasons.
A may furnish this information, even though in furnishing it A would disclose information about its business relationships in a boycotted country, because it is being furnished in a normal business context and A does not have reason to know that it is sought for boycott reasons.
(xiii) U.S. architectural firm A responds to an invitation to submit designs for an office complex in boycotting country Y. The invitation states that all bidders must include information concerning similar types of buildings they have designed. A has not designed such buildings in boycotted country X. Clients frequently seek information of this type before engaging an architect.
A may furnish this information, because this is furnishing normal business information, in a commercial context, relating to A's technical competence and professional experience.
(xiv) U.S. oil company A distributes to potential customers promotional brochures and catalogs which give background information on A's past projects. A does not have business dealings with boycotted country X. The brochures, which are identical to those which A uses throughout the world, list those countries in which A does or has done business. In soliciting potential customers in boycotting country Y, A desires to distribute copies of its brochures.
A may do so, because this is furnishing normal business information, in a commercial context, relating to professional experience.
(xv) U.S. company A is interested in doing business with boycotting country Y. A wants to ask Y's Ministry of Trade whether, and if so why, A is on Y's blacklist or is otherwise restricted for boycott reasons from doing business with Y.
A may make this limited inquiry, because it does not constitute furnishing information.
(xvi) U.S. company A is asked by boycotting country Y to certify that it is not owned by subjects or nationals of boycotted country X and that it is not resident in boycotted country X.
A may not furnish the certification, because it is information about A's business relationships with or in a boycotted country, or with nationals of a boycotted country.
(xvii) U.S. company A, a manufacturer of certain patented products, desires to register its patents in boycotting country Y. A receives a power of attorney form required to register its patents. The form contains a question regarding A's business relationships with or in boycotted country X. A has no business relationships with X and knows or has reason to know that the information is sought for boycott reasons.
A may not answer the question, because A would be furnishing information about its business relationships with or in a boycotted country.
(xviii) U.S. company A is asked by boycotting country Y to certify that it is not the mother company, sister company, subsidiary, or branch of any blacklisted company, and that it is not in any way affiliated with any blacklisted company.
A may not furnish the certification, because it is information about whether A has a business relationship with another person who is known or believed to be restricted from having any business relationship with or in a boycotting country.
(e) Information concerning association with charitable and fraternal organizations.
(1) No United States person may furnish or knowingly agree to furnish information about whether any person is a member of, has made contributions to, or is otherwise associated with or involved in the activities of any charitable or fraternal organization which supports a boycotted country.
(2) This prohibition shall apply whether:
(i) The information concerns association with or involvement in any charitable or fraternal organization which (a) has, as one of its stated purposes, the support of a boycotted country through financial contributions or other means, or (b) undertakes, as a major organizational activity, to offer financial or other support to a boycotted country;
(ii) The information is directly or indirectly requested or is furnished on the initiative of the United States person; or
(iii) The information requested or volunteered concerns membership in, financial contributions to, or any other type of association with or involvement in the activities of such charitable or fraternal organization.
(3) This prohibition does not prohibit the furnishing of normal business information in a commercial context as defined in paragraph (d) of this section.
(4) This prohibition, like all others, applies only with respect to a United States person's activities in the interstate or foreign commerce of the United States and only when such activities are undertaken with intent to comply with, further, or support an unsanctioned foreign boycott.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which the furnishing of information concerning associations with charitable or fraternal organizations is prohibited. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) U.S. engineering firm A receives an invitation to bid from boycotting country Y. The invitation includes a request to supply information concerning any association which A's officers have with charitable organization B, an organization which is known by A to contribute financial support to boycotted country X. A knows or has reason to know that the information is sought for boycott reasons.
A may not furnish the information.
(ii) U.S. construction company A, in an effort to establish business dealings with boycotting country Y, proposes to furnish information to Y showing that no members of its board of directors are in any way associated with charitable organizations which support boycotted country X. A's purpose is to avoid any possibility of its being blacklisted by Y.
A may not furnish the information, because A's purpose in doing so is boycott-based. It makes no difference that no specific request for the information has been made by Y.
(iii) A, a citizen of the United States, is applying for a teaching position in a school in boycotting country Y. In connection with his application, A furnishes a resume which happens to disclose his affiliation with charitable organizations. A does so completely without reference to Y's boycott and without knowledge of any boycott requirement of Y that pertains to A's application for employment.
The furnishing of a resume by A is not a boycott-related furnishing of information about his association with charitable organizations which support boycotted country X.
(f) Letters of credit.
(1) No United States person may pay, honor, confirm, or otherwise implement a letter of credit which contains a condition or requirement compliance with which is prohibited by this part, nor shall any United States person, as a result of the application of this section, be obligated to pay, honor or otherwise implement such a letter of credit.
(2) For purposes of this section, “implementing” a letter of credit includes:
(i) Issuing or opening a letter of credit at the request of a customer;
(ii) Honoring, by accepting as being a valid instrument of credit, any letter of credit;
(iii) Paying, under a letter of credit, a draft or other demand for payment by the beneficiary;
(iv) Confirming a letter of credit by agreeing to be responsible for payment to the beneficiary in response to a request by the issuer;
(v) Negotiating a letter of credit by voluntarily purchasing a draft from a beneficiary and presenting such draft for reimbursement to the issuer or the confirmer of the letter of credit; and
(vi) Taking any other action to implement a letter of credit.
(3) In the standard international letter of credit transaction facilitating payment for the export of goods from the United States, a bank in a foreign country may be requested by its customer to issue a revocable or irrevocable letter of credit in favor of the United States exporter. The customer usually requires, and the letter of credit provides, that the issuing (or a confirming) bank will make payment to the beneficiary against the bank's receipt of the documentation specified in the letter of credit. Such documentation usually includes commercial and consular invoices, a bill of lading, and evidence of insurance, but it may also include other required certifications or documentary assurances such as the origin of the goods and information relating to the carrier or insurer of the shipment.
Banks usually will not accept drafts for payment unless the documents submitted therewith comply with the terms and conditions of the letter of credit.
(4) A United States person is not prohibited under this section from advising a beneficiary of the existence of a letter of credit in his favor, or from taking ministerial actions to dispose of a letter of credit which it is prohibited from implementing.
(5) Compliance with this section shall provide an absolute defense in any action brought to compel payment of, honoring of, or other implementation of a letter of credit, or for damages resulting from failure to pay or otherwise honor or implement the letter of credit. This section shall not otherwise relieve any person from any obligations or other liabilities he may incur under other laws or regulations, except as may be explicitly provided in this section.
(6) This prohibition, like all others, applies only with respect to a United States person's activities taken with intent to comply with, further, or support an unsanctioned foreign boycott. In addition, it applies only when the transaction to which the letter of credit applies is in United States commerce and the beneficiary is a United States person.
(7) A letter of credit implemented in the United States by a United States person located in the United States, including a permanent United States establishment of a foreign bank, will be presumed to apply to a transaction in United States commerce and to be in favor of a United States beneficiary where the letter of credit specifies a United States address for the beneficiary. These presumptions may be rebutted by facts which could reasonably lead the bank to conclude that the beneficiary is not a United States person or that the underlying transaction is not in United States commerce.
(8) Where a letter of credit implemented in the United States by a United States person located in the United States does not specify a United States address for the beneficiary, the beneficiary will be presumed to be other than a United States person. This presumption may be rebutted by facts which could reasonably lead the bank to conclude that the beneficiary is a United States person despite the foreign address.
(9) A letter of credit implemented outside the United States by a United States person located outside the United States will be presumed to apply to a transaction in United States commerce and to be in favor of a United States beneficiary where the letter of credit specifies a United States address for the beneficiary and calls for documents indicating shipment from the United States or otherwise indicating that the goods are of United States origin. These presumptions may be rebutted by facts which could reasonably lead the bank to conclude that the beneficiary is not a United States person or that the underlying transaction is not in United States commerce.
(10) Where a letter of credit implemented outside the United States by a United States person located outside the United States does not specify a United States address for the beneficiary, the beneficiary will be presumed to be other than a United States person. In addition, where such a letter of credit does not call for documents indicating shipment from the United States or otherwise indicating that the goods are of United States origin, the transaction to which it applies will be presumed to be outside United States commerce. The presumption that the beneficiary is other than a United States person may be rebutted by facts which could reasonably lead the bank to conclude that the beneficiary is a United States person. The presumption that the transaction to which the letter of credit applies is outside United States commerce may be rebutted by facts which could reasonably lead the bank to conclude that the underlying transaction is in United States commerce.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which this section applies to the implementation of a letter of credit and in which such implementation is prohibited. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) A, a U.S. bank located in the United States, opens a letter of credit in the United States in favor of B, a foreign company located outside the United States. The letter of credit specifies a non-U.S. address for the beneficiary.
The beneficiary is presumed to be other than a U.S. person, because it does not have a U.S. address. The presumption may be rebutted by facts showing that A could reasonably conclude that the beneficiary is a U.S. person despite the foreign address.
(ii) A, a branch of a foreign bank located in the United States, opens a letter of credit in favor of B, a foreign company located outside the United States. The letter of credit specifies a non-U.S. address for the beneficiary.
The beneficiary is presumed to be other than a U.S.person, because it does not have a U.S. address. The presumption may be rebutted by facts showing that A could reasonably conclude that the beneficiary is a U.S. person despite the foreign address.
(iii) A, a U.S. bank branch located outside the United States, opens a letter of credit in favor of B, a person with a U.S. address. The letter of credit calls for documents indicating shipment of goods from the United States.
The letter of credit is presumed to apply to a transaction in U.S. commerce and to be in favor of a U.S. beneficiary because the letter of credit specifies a U.S. address for the beneficiary and calls for documents indicating that the goods will be shipped from the United States. These presumptions may be rebutted by facts showing that A could reasonably conclude that the beneficiary is not a U.S. person or that the underlying transaction is not in U.S. commerce.
(iv) A, a U.S. bank branch located outside the United States, opens a letter of credit which specifies a beneficiary, B, with an address outside the United States and calls for documents indicating that the goods are of U.S.-origin. A knows or has reason to know that although B has an address outside the United States, B is a U.S. person.
The letter of credit is presumed to apply to a transaction in U.S. commerce, because the letter of credit calls for shipment of U.S.-origin goods. In addition, the letter of credit is presumed to be in favor of a beneficiary who is a U.S. person, because A knows or has reason to know that the beneficiary is a U.S. person despite the foreign address.
(v) A, a U.S. bank branch located outside the United States, opens a letter of credit which specifies a beneficiary with a U.S. address. The letter of credit calls for documents indicating shipment of foreign-origin goods.
The letter of credit is presumed to be in favor of a U.S. beneficiary but to apply to a transaction outside U.S. commerce, because it calls for documents indicating shipment of foreign-origin goods. The presumption of non-U.S. commerce may be rebutted by facts showing that A could reasonably conclude that the underlying transaction involves shipment of U.S.-origin goods or goods from the United States.
(i) Boycotting country Y orders goods from U.S. company B. Y opens a letter of credit with foreign bank C in favor of B. The letter of credit specifies as a condition of payment that B certify that it does not do business with boycotted country X. Foreign bank C forwards the letter of credit it has opened to U.S. bank A for confirmation.
A may not confirm or otherwise implement this letter of credit, because it contains a condition with which a U.S. person may not comply.
(ii) Same as (i), except U.S. bank A desires to advise the beneficiary, U.S. company B, of the letter of credit.
A may do so, because advising the beneficiary of the letter of credit (including the term which prevents A from implementing it) is not implementation of the letter of credit.
(iii) Same as (i), except foreign bank C sends a telegram to U.S. bank A stating the major terms and conditions of the letter of credit. The telegram does not reflect the boycott provision. Subsequently, C mails to A documents setting forth the terms and conditions of the letter of credit, including the prohibited boycott condition.
A may not further implement the letter of credit after it receives the documents, because they reflect the prohibited boycott condition in the letter of credit. A may advise the beneficiary and C of the existence of the letter of credit (including the boycott term), and may perform any essentially ministerial acts necessary to dispose of the letter of credit.
(iv) Same as (iii), except that U.S. company B, based in part on information received from U.S. bank A, desires to obtain an amendment to the letter of credit which would eliminate or nullify the language in the letter of credit which prevents A from paying or otherwise implementing it.
Either company B or bank A may undertake, and the other may cooperate and assist in, this endeavor. A could then pay or otherwise implement the revised letter of credit, so long as the original prohibited boycott condition is of no force or effect.
(v) Boycotting country Y requests a foreign bank in Y to open a letter of credit to effect payment for goods to be shipped by U.S. supplier B, the beneficiary of the letter of credit. The letter of credit contains prohibited boycott clauses. The foreign bank forwards a copy of the letter of credit to its branch office A, in the United States.
A may advise the beneficiary but may not implement the letter of credit, because it contains prohibited boycott conditions.
(vi) Boycotting country Y orders goods from U.S. company B. U.S. bank A is asked to implement, for the benefit of B, a letter of credit which contains a clause requiring documentation that the goods shipped are not of boycotted country X origin.
A may not implement the letter of credit with a prohibited condition, and may accept only a positive certificate of origin as satisfactory documentation. (See § 760.3(c) on “Import and Shipping Document Requirements.”)
(vii) [Reserved]
(viii) B is a foreign bank located outside the United States. B maintains an account with U.S. bank A, located in the United States. A letter of credit issued by B in favor of a U.S. beneficiary provides that any negotiating bank may obtain reimbursement from A by certifying that all the terms and conditions of the letter of credit have been met and then drawing against B's account. B notifies A by cable of the issuance of a letter of credit and the existence of reimbursement authorization; A does not receive a copy of the letter of credit.
A may reimburse any negotiating bank, even when the underlying letter of credit contains a prohibited boycott condition, because A does not know or have reason to know that the letter of credit contains a prohibited boycott condition.
(ix) Same as (viii), except that foreign bank B forwards a copy of the letter of credit to U.S. bank A, which then becomes aware of the prohibited boycott clause.
A may not thereafter reimburse a negotiating bank or in any way further implement the letter of credit, because it knows of the prohibited boycott condition.
(x) Boycotting country Y orders goods from U.S. exporter B and requests a foreign bank in Y to open a letter of credit in favor of B to cover the cost. The letter of credit contains a prohibited boycott clause. The foreign bank asks U.S. bank A to advise and confirm the letter of credit. Through inadvertence, A does not notice the prohibited clause and confirms the letter of credit. A thereafter notices the clause and then refuses to honor B's draft against the letter of credit. B sues bank A for payment.
A has an absolute defense against the obligation to make payment under this letter of credit. (Note: Examples (ix) and (x) do not alter any other obligations or liabilities of the parties under appropriate law.)
(xi) [Reserved]
(xii) Boycotting country Y orders goods from U.S. company B. A letter of credit which contains a prohibited boycott clause is opened in favor of B by a foreign bank in Y. The foreign bank asks U.S. bank A to advise and confirm the letter of credit, which it forwards to A.
A may advise B that it has received the letter of credit (including the boycott term), but may not confirm the letter of credit with the prohibited clause.
(xiii) Same as (xii), except U.S. bank A fails to tell B that it cannot process the letter of credit. B requests payment.
A may not pay. If the prohibited language is eliminated or nullified as the result of renegotiation, A may then pay or otherwise implement the revised letter of credit.
(xiv) U.S. bank A receives a letter of credit in favor of U.S. beneficiary B. The letter of credit requires B to certify that he is not blacklisted.
A may implement such a letter of credit, but it may not insist that the certification be furnished, because by so insisting it would be refusing to do business with a blacklisted person in compliance with a boycott.
(xv) A, a U.S. bank located in the U.S. opens a letter of credit in favor of U.S. beneficiary B for B's sale of goods to boycotting country Y. The letter of credit contains no boycott conditions, but A knows that Y customarily requires the seller of goods to certify that it has dealt with no blacklisted supplier. A, therefore, instructs B that it will not make payment under the letter of credit unless B makes such a certification.
A's action in requiring the certification from B constitutes action to require another person to refuse to do business with blacklisted persons.
(xvi) A, a U.S. bank located in the U.S., opens a letter of credit in favor of U.S. beneficiary B for B's sale of goods to boycotting country Y. The letter of credit contains no boycott conditions, but A has actual knowledge that B has agreed to supply a certification to Y that it has not dealt with blacklisted firms, as a condition of receiving the letter of credit in its favor.
A may not implement the letter of credit, because it knows that an implicit condition of the credit is a condition with which B may not legally comply.
(xvii) Boycotting country Y orders goods from U.S. company B. Y opens a letter of credit with foreign bank C in favor of B. The letter of credit includes the statement, “Do not negotiate with blacklisted banks.” C forwards the letter of credit it has opened to U.S. bank A for confirmation.
A may not confirm or otherwise implement this letter of credit, because it contains a condition with which a U.S. person may not comply.
§ 760.3   Exceptions to prohibitions.
(a) Import requirements of a boycotting country.
(1) A United States person, in supplying goods or services to a boycotting country, or to a national or resident of a boycotting country, may comply or agree to comply with requirements of such boycotting country which prohibit the import of:
(i) Goods or services from the boycotted country;
(ii) Goods produced or services provided by any business concern organized under the laws of the boycotted country; or
(iii) Goods produced or services provided by nationals or residents of the boycotted country.
(2) A United States person may comply or agree to comply with such import requirements whether or not he has received a specific request to comply. By its terms, this exception applies only to transactions involving imports into a boycotting country. A United States person may not, under this exception, refuse on an across-the-board basis to do business with a boycotted country or a national or resident of a boycotted country.
(3) In taking action within the scope of this exception, a United States person is limited in the types of boycott-related information he can supply. (See § 760.2(d) of this part on “Furnishing Information About Business Relationships with Boycotted Countries or Blacklisted Persons” and paragraph (c) of this section on “Import and Shipping Document Requirements.”)
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which compliance with the import requirements of a boycotting country is permissible. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) A, a U.S. manufacturer, receives an order from boycotting country Y for its products. Country X is boycotted by country Y, and the import laws of Y prohibit the importation of goods produced or manufactured in X. In filling this type of order, A would usually include some component parts produced in X.
For the purpose of filling this order, A may substitute comparable component parts in place of parts produced in X, because the import laws of Y prohibit the importation of goods manufactured in X.
(ii) Same as (i), except that A's contract with Y expressly provides that in fulfilling the contract A “may not include parts or components produced or manufactured in boycotted country X.”
A may agree to and comply with this contract provision, because Y prohibits the importation of goods from X. However, A may not furnish negative certifications regarding the origin of components in response to import and shipping document requirements.
(iii) A, a U.S. building contractor, is awarded a contract to construct a plant in boycotting country Y. A accepts bids on goods required under the contract, and the lowest bid is made by B, a business concern organized under the laws of X, a country boycotted by Y. Y prohibits the import of goods produced by companies organized under the laws of X.
For purposes of this contract, A may reject B's bid and accept another, because B's goods would be refused entry into Y because of Y's boycott against X.
(iv) Same as (iii), except that A also rejects the low bid by B for work on a construction project in country M, a country not boycotted by Y.
This exception does not apply, because A's action is not taken in order to comply with Y's requirements prohibiting the import of products from boycotted country X.
(v) A, a U.S. management consulting firm, contracts to provide services to boycotting country Y. Y requests that A not employ residents or nationals of boycotted country X to provide those services.
A may agree, as a condition of the contract, not to have services furnished by nationals or residents of X, because importation of such services is prohibited by Y.
(vi) A, a U.S. company, is negotiating a contract to supply machine tools to boycotting country Y. Y insists that the contract contain a provision whereby A agrees that none of the machine tools will be produced by any business concern owned by nationals of boycotted country X, even if the business concern is organized under the laws of a non-boycotted country.
A may not agree to this provision, because it is a restriction on the import of goods produced by business concerns owned by nationals of a boycotted country even if the business concerns themselves are organized under the laws of a non-boycotted country.
(b) Shipment of goods to a boycotting country.
(1) A United States person, in shipping goods to a boycotting country, may comply or agree to comply with requirements of that country which prohibit the shipment of goods:
(i) On a carrier of the boycotted country; or
(ii) By a route other than that prescribed by the boycotting country or the recipient of the shipment.
(2) A specific request that a United States person comply or agree to comply with requirements concerning the use of carriers of a boycotted country is not necessary if the United States person knows, or has reason to know, that the use of such carriers for shipping goods to the boycotting country is prohibited by requirements of the boycotting country. This exception applies whether a boycotting country or the purchaser of the shipment:
(i) Explicitly states that the shipment should not pass through a port of the boycotted country; or
(ii) Affirmatively describes a route of shipment that does not include a port in the boycotted country.
(3) For purposes of this exception, the term carrier of a boycotted country means a carrier which flies the flag of a boycotted country or which is owned, chartered, leased, or operated by a boycotted country or by nationals or residents of a boycotted country.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which compliance with import and shipping document requirements of a boycotting country is permissible. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) A is a U.S. exporter from whom boycotting country Y is importing goods. Y directs that the goods not pass through a port of boycotted country X.
A may comply with Y's shipping instructions, because they pertain to the route of shipment of goods being shipped to Y.
(ii) A, a U.S. fertilizer manufacturer, receives an order from boycotting country Y for fertilizer. Y specifies in the order that A may not ship the fertilizer on a carrier of boycotted country X.
A may comply with this request, because it pertains to the carrier of a boycotted country.
(iii) B, a resident of boycotting country Y, orders textile goods from A, a U.S. distributor, specifying that the shipment must not be made on a carrier owned or leased by nationals of boycotted country X and that the carrier must not pass through a port of country X enroute to Y.
A may comply or agree to comply with these requests, because they pertain to the shipment of goods to Y on a carrier of a boycotted country and the route such shipment will take.
(iv) Boycotting country Y orders goods from A, a U.S. retail merchant. The order specifies that the goods shipped by A “may not be shipped on a carrier registered in or owned by boycotted country X.”
A may agree to this contract provision, because it pertains to the carrier of a boycotted country.
(v) Boycotting country Y orders goods from A, a U.S. pharmaceutical company, and requests that the shipment not pass through a port of country P, which is not a country boycotted by Y.
This exception does not apply in a non-boycotting situation. A may comply with the shipping instructions of Y, because in doing so he would not violate any prohibition of this part.
(vi) Boycotting country Y orders goods from A, a U.S. manufacturer. The order specifies that goods shipped by A “must not be shipped on vessels blacklisted by country Y”.
A may not agree to comply with this condition because it is not a restriction limited to the use of carriers of the boycotted country.
(c) Import and shipping document requirements.
(1) A United States person, in shipping goods to a boycotting country, may comply or agree to comply with import and shipping document requirements of that country, with respect to:
(i) The country or origin of the goods;
(ii) The name and nationality of the carrier;
(iii) The route of the shipment;
(iv) The name, residence, or address of the supplier of the shipment;
(v) The name, residence, or address of the provider of other services.
(2) Such information must be stated in positive, non-blacklisting, non-exclusionary terms except for information with respect to the names or nationalities of carriers or routes of shipment, which may continue to be stated in negative terms in conjunction with shipments to a boycotting country, in order to comply with precautionary requirements protecting against war risks or confiscation.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which compliance with the import requirements of a boycotting country is permissible. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) Boycotting country Y contracts with A, a U.S. petroleum equipment manufacturer, for certain equipment. Y requires that goods being imported into Y must be accompanied by a certification that the goods being supplied did not originate in boycotted country X.
A may not supply such a certification in negative terms but may identify instead the country of origin of the goods in positive terms only.
(ii) Same as (i), except that Y requires that the shipping documentation accompanying the goods specify the country of origin of the goods.
A may furnish the information.
(iii) [Reserved]
(iv) A, a U.S. apparel manufacturer, has contracted to sell certain of its products to B, a national of boycotting country Y. The form that must be submitted to customs officials of Y requires the shipper to certify that the goods contained in the shipment have not been supplied by “blacklisted” persons.
A may not furnish the information in negative terms but may certify, in positive terms only, the name of the supplier of the goods.
(v) Same as (iv), except the customs form requires certification that the insurer and freight forwarder used are not “blacklisted.”
A may not comply with the request but may supply a certification stating, in positive terms only, the names of the insurer and freight forwarder.
(vi) A, a U.S. petrochemical manufacturer, executes a sales contract with B, a resident of boycotting country Y. A provision of A's contract with B requires that the bill of lading and other shipping documents contain certifications that the goods have not been shipped on a “blacklisted” carrier.
A may not agree to supply a certification that the carrier is not “blacklisted” but may certify the name of the carrier in positive terms only.
(vii) Same as (vi), except that the contract requires certification that the goods will not be shipped on a carrier which flies the flag of, or is owned, chartered, leased, or operated by boycotted country X, or by nationals or residents of X.
Such a certification, which is a reasonable requirement to protect against war risks or confiscation, may be furnished at any time.
(viii) Same as (vi), except that the contract requires that the shipping documents certify the name of the carrier being used.
A may, at any time, supply or agree to supply the requested documentation regarding the name of the carrier, either in negative or positive terms.
(ix) Same as (vi), except that the contract requires a certification that the carrier will not call at a port in boycotted country X before making delivery in Y.
Such a certification, which is a reasonable requirement to protect against war risks or confiscation, may be furnished at any time.
(x) Same as (vi), except that the contract requires that the shipping documents indicate the name of the insurer and freight forwarder.
A may comply at any time, because the statement is not required to be made in negative or blacklisting terms.
(xi) A, a U.S. exporter, is negotiating a contract to sell bicycles to boycotting country Y. Y insists that A agree to certify that the goods will not be shipped on a vessel which has ever called at a port in boycotted country X.
As distinguished from a certification that goods will not be shipped on a vessel which will call enroute at a port of boycotted country X, such a certification is not a reasonable requirement to protect against war risks or confiscation, and, hence, may not be supplied.
(xii) Same as (xi), except that Y insists that A agree to certify that the goods will not be shipped on a carrier that is ineligible to enter Y's waters.
Such a certification, which is not a reasonable requirement to protect against war risks or confiscation may not be supplied.
(d) Unilateral and specific selection.
(1) A United States person may comply or agree to comply in the normal course of business with the unilateral and specific selection by a boycotting country, a national of a boycotting country, or a resident of a boycotting country (including a United States person who is a bona fide resident of a boycotting country) of carriers, insurers, suppliers of services to be performed within the boycotting country, or specific goods, provided that with respect to services, it is necessary and customary that a not insignificant part of the services be performed within the boycotting country. With respect to goods, the items, in the normal course of business, must be identifiable as to their source or origin at the time of their entry into the boycotting country by (a) uniqueness of design or appearance or (b) trademark, trade name, or other identification normally on the items themselves, including their packaging.
(2) This exception pertains to what is permissible for a United States person who is the recipient of a unilateral and specific selection of goods or services to be furnished by a third person. It does not pertain to whether the act of making such a selection is permitted; that question is covered, with respect to United States persons, in paragraph (g) of this section on “Compliance with Local Law.” Nor does it pertain to the United States person who is the recipient of an order to supply its own goods or services. Nothing in this part prohibits or restricts a United States person from filling an order himself, even if he is selected by the buyer on a boycott basis (e.g., because he is not blacklisted), so long as he does not himself take any action prohibited by this part.
(3) In order for this exception to apply, the selection with which a United States person wishes to comply must be unilateral and specific.
(4) A “specific” selection is one which is stated in the affirmative and which specifies a particular supplier of goods or services.
(5) A “unilateral” selection is one in which the discretion in making the selection is exercised by the boycotting country buyer. If the United States person who receives a unilateral selection has provided the buyer with any boycott-based assistance (including information for purposes of helping the buyer select someone on a boycott basis), then the buyer's selection is not unilateral, and compliance with that selection by a United States person does not come within this exception.
(6) The provision of so-called “pre-selection” or “pre-award” services, such as providing lists of qualified suppliers, subcontractors, or bidders, does not, in and of itself, destroy the unilateral character of a selection, provided such services are not boycott-based. Lists of qualified suppliers, for example, must not exclude anyone because he is blacklisted. Moreover, such services must be of the type customarily provided in similar transactions by the firm (or industry of which the firm is a part) as measured by the practice in non-boycotting as well as boycotting countries. If such services are not customarily provided in similar transactions or such services are provided in such a way as to exclude blacklisted persons from participating in a transaction or diminish their opportunity for such participation, then the services may not be provided without destroying the unilateral character of any subsequent selection.
(7) In order for this exception to be available, the unilateral and specific selection must have been made by a boycotting country, or by a national or resident of a boycotting country. Such a resident may be a United States person. For purposes of this exception, a United States person will be considered a resident of a boycotting country only if he is a bona fide resident. A United States person may be a bona fide resident of a boycotting country even if such person's residency is temporary.
(8) Factors that will be considered in determining whether a United States person is a bona fide resident of a boycotting country include:
(i) Physical presence in the country;
(ii) Whether residence is needed for legitimate business reasons;
(iii) Continuity of the residency;
(iv) Intent to maintain the residency;
(v) Prior residence in the country;
(vi) Size and nature of presence in the country;
(vii) Whether the person is registered to do business or incorporated in the country;
(viii) Whether the person has a valid work visa; and
(ix) Whether the person has a similar presence in both boycotting and non-boycotting foreign countries in connection with similar business activities.
No one of the factors is dispositive. All the circumstances will be examined closely to ascertain whether there is, in fact, a bona fide residency. Residency established solely for purposes of avoidance of the application of this part, unrelated to legitimate business needs, does not constitute bona fide residency.
(9) The boycotting country resident must be the one actually making the selection. If a selection is made by a non-resident agent, parent, subsidiary, affiliate, home office or branch office of a boycotting country resident, it is not a selection by a resident within the meaning of this exception.
(10) A selection made solely by a bona fide resident and merely transmitted by another person to a United States person for execution is a selection by a bona fide resident within the meaning of this exception.
(11) If a United States person receives, from another person located in the United States, what may be a unilateral selection by a boycotting country customer, and knows or has reason to know that the selection is made for boycott reasons, he has a duty to inquire of the transmitting person to determine who actually made the selection. If he knows or has reason to know that the selection was made by other than a boycotting country, or a national or resident of a boycotting country, he may not comply. A course or pattern of conduct which a United States person recognizes or should recognize as consistent with boycott restrictions will create a duty to inquire.
(12) If the United States person does not know or have reason to know that the selection it receives is boycott-based, its compliance with such a selection does not offend any prohibition and this exception is not needed.
(13) This exception applies only to compliance with selections of certain types of suppliers of services-carriers, insurers, and suppliers of services to be performed “within the boycotting country.” Services to be performed wholly within the United States or wholly within any country other than the boycotting country are not covered.
(14) For purposes of this part, services are to be performed “within the boycotting country” only if they are of a type which would customarily be performed by suppliers of those services within the country of the recipient of those services, and if the part of the services performed within the boycotting country is a necessary and not insignificant part of the total services performed.
(15) What is “customary and necessary” for these purposes depends on the usual practice of the supplier of the services (or the industry of which he is a part) as measured by the practice in non-boycotting as well as boycotting countries, except where such practices are instituted to accommodate this part.
(16) This exception applies only to compliance with selections of certain types of goods—goods that, in the normal course of business, are identifiable as to their source or origin at the time of their entry into the boycotting country. The definition of “specifically identifiable goods” is the same under this section as it is in paragraph (g) of this section on “Compliance with Local Law.”
(17) Goods “specifically identifiable” in the normal course of business are those items which at the time of their entry into a boycotting country are identifiable as to source or origin by uniqueness of design or appearance; or trademark, trade name, or other identification normally on the items themselves, including their packaging. Goods are “specifically identifiable” in the normal course of business if their source or origin is ascertainable by inspection of the items themselves, including their packaging, regardless of whether inspection takes place. Goods are not considered to be “specifically identifiable” in the normal course of business if a trademark, trade name, or other form of identification not normally present is added to the items themselves, including their packaging, to accommodate this part.
(18) If a unilateral selection meets the conditions described in paragraph (d) of this section, the United States person receiving the unilateral selection may comply or agree to comply, even if he knows or has reason to know that the selection was boycott-based. However, no United States person may comply or agree to comply with any unilateral selection if he knows or has reason to know that the purpose of the selection is to effect discrimination against any United States person on the basis of race, religion, sex, or national origin.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining what constitutes a unilateral selection and the circumstances in which compliance with such a selection is permissible. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) A, a U.S. manufacturer of road-grading equipment, is asked by boycotting country Y to ship goods to Y on U.S. vessel B, a carrier which is not blacklisted by Y. A knows or has reason to know that Y's selection of B is boycott-based.
A may comply with Y's request, or may agree to comply as a condition of the contract, because the selection is specific and unilateral.
(ii) A, a U.S. contractor building an industrial facility in boycotting country Y is asked by B, a resident of Y, to use C as the supplier of air conditioning equipment to be used in the facility. C is not blacklisted by country Y. A knows or has reason to know that B's request is boycott-based.
A may comply with B's request, or may agree to comply as a condition of the contract, because the selection of C is specific and unilateral.
(iii) A, a U.S. manufacturer of automotive equipment, is asked by boycotting country Y not to ship its goods to Y on U.S. carriers, B, C, or D. Carriers B, C, and D are blacklisted by boycotting country Y. A knows or has reason to know that Y's request is boycott-based.
A may not comply or agree to comply with Y's request, because no specific selection of any particular carrier has been made.
(iv) A, a U.S. exporter shipping goods ordered by boycotting country Y, is provided by Y with a list of eligible U.S. insurers from which A may choose in insuring the shipment of its goods. A knows or has reason to know that the list was compiled on a boycott basis.
A may not comply or agree to comply with Y's request that A choose from among the eligible insurers, because no specific selection of any particular insurer has been made.
(v) A, a U.S. aircraft manufacturer, is negotiating to sell aircraft to boycotting country Y. During the negotiations, Y asks A to identify the company which normally manufactures the engines for the aircraft. A responds that they are normally manufactured by U.S. engine manufacturer B. B is blacklisted by Y. In making the purchase, Y specifies that the engines for the aircraft should be supplied by U.S. engine manufacturer C.
A may comply or agree to comply with Y's selection of C, because Y's selection is unilateral and specific.
(vi) A, a U.S. construction firm, is retained by an agency of boycotting country Y to build a pipeline. Y requests A to suggest qualified engineering firms to be used on-site in the construction of the pipeline. It is customary for A, regardless of where it conducts its operations, to identify qualified engineering firms to its customers so that its customers may make their own selection of the firm to be engaged. Choice of engineering firm is customarily a prerogative of the customer. A provides a list of five engineering firms, B-F, excluding no firm because it may be blacklisted, and then confers with and gives its recommendations to Y. A recommends C, because C is the best qualified. Y then selects B, because C is blacklisted.
A may comply with Y's selection of B, because the boycott-based decision is made by Y and is unilateral and specific. Since A's pre-award services are of the kind customarily provided in these situations, and since they are provided without reference to the boycott, they do not destroy the unilateral character of Y's selection.
(vii) A, a U.S. aircraft manufacturer, has an order to supply a certain number of planes to boycotting country Y. In connection with the order, Y asks A to supply it with a list of qualified aircraft tire manufacturers so that Y can select the tires to be placed on the planes. This is a highly unusual request, since, in A's worldwide business operations, choice of tires is customarily made by the manufacturer, not the customer. Nonetheless, A supplies a list of tire manufacturers, B, C, D, and E. Y chooses tire manufacturer B because B is not blacklisted. Had A, as is customary, selected the tires, company C would have been chosen. C happens to be blacklisted, and A knows that C's blacklist status was the reason for Y's selection of B.
A's provision of a list of tire manufacturers for Y to choose from destroys the unilateral character of Y's selection, because such a pre-selection service is not customary in A's worldwide business operations.
(viii) A, a U.S. aircraft manufacturer, receives an order from U.S. company C, which is located in the United States, for the sale of aircraft to company D, a U.S. affiliate of C. D is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y. C instructs A that “in order to avoid boycott problems,” A must use engines that are manufactured by company B, a company that is not blacklisted by Y. Engines built by B are unique in design and also bear B's trade name.
Since A has reason to know that the selection is boycott-based, he must inquire of C whether the selection was in fact made by D. If C informs A that the selection was made by D, A may comply.
(ix) Same as (viii), except that C initially states that the designation was unilaterally and specifically made by D.
A may accept C's statement without further investigation and may comply with the selection, because C merely transmitted D's unilateral and specific selection.
(x) Same as (ix), except that C informs A that it, C, has selected B on behalf of or as an agent of its affiliated company resident in the boycotting country.
A may not comply with this selection, because the decision was not made by a resident of the boycotting country.
(xi) A, a U.S. management consulting firm, is advising boycotting country Y on the selection of a contracting firm to construct a plant for the manufacture of agricultural chemicals. As is customary in its business, A compiles a list of potential contractors on the basis of its evaluation of the capabilities of the respective candidates to perform the job. A has knowledge that company B is blacklisted, but provides Y with the names of companies B, C, D, and E, listing them in order of their qualifications. Y instructs A to negotiate with C.
A may comply with Y's instruction, because Y's selection is unilateral and specific.
(xii) A, a U.S. exporter, is asked by boycotting country Y not to ship goods on carriers B, C, or D, which are owned by nationals of and are registered in country P, a country not boycotted by Y.
A may comply or agree to comply with Y's request even though the selection is not specific, because A does not know or have reason to know that the request is boycott-based.
In example (xii), A has violated no prohibition, because it does not know or have reason to know that Y's instruction is boycott-based. Therefore, A could not act with the requisite intent to comply with the boycott.)
(xiii) A, a U.S. construction company, receives a contract to construct a hotel in boycotting country Y. As part of the contract, A is required to furnish Y with lists of qualified suppliers of various specifically identifiable items. A compiles lists of various qualified suppliers wholly without reference to the boycott, and thereafter Y instructs A to negotiate with, enter into contracts with, and arrange for delivery from each of the suppliers which Y designates. A knows that Y's choices are made on a boycott basis.
A may comply with Y's selections and carry out these post-award services for Y, because Y's selections were unilateral and specific and A's pre-award services were provided without reference to Y's boycott.
(i) A, a U.S. exporter, is asked by B, a U.S. person who is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y, to ship goods on U.S. carrier C. C is not blacklisted by Y, and A knows that B has chosen on a boycott basis in order to comply with Y's boycott laws.
A may comply or agree to comply with B's request, because B is a bona fide resident of Y.
(ii) A is a U.S. computer company whose subsidiary, B, is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y. A receives an order from B for specific, identifiable products manufactured by company C in connection with a computer which B is installing in Y.
A may comply or agree to comply with B's unilateral and specific selection, so long as the discretion was in fact exercised by B, not A.
Unilateral selection transactions involving related United States persons will be scrutinized carefully to ensure that the selection was in fact made by the bona fide resident of the boycotting country.)
(iii) A, a U.S. engineering firm, has chief engineer B as its resident engineer on a dam construction site in boycotting country Y. B's presence at the site is necessary in order to ensure proper supervision of the project. In order to comply with local law, B selects equipment supplier C rather than D, who is blacklisted, and directs A to purchase certain specific equipment from C for use in the project.
A may comply with this unilateral selection, because the decision was made by a bona fide resident of Y.
(iv) B, a branch of U.S. bank A, is located in boycotting country Y. B is in need of office supplies and asks the home office in New York to make the necessary purchases. A contacts C, a U.S. company in the office supply business, and instructs C to purchase various items from certain specific companies and ship them directly to B. In order to avoid any difficulties for B with respect to Y's boycott laws, A is careful to specify only non-blacklisted companies or suppliers. C knows that that was A's purpose. C may not comply with A's instruction, because the selection of suppliers was not made by a resident of a boycotting country.
(v) Same as (iv), except that A has given standing instructions to B that whenever it needs office supplies, it should specify certain suppliers designated by A. To avoid running afoul of Y's boycott laws, A's designations consist exclusively of non-blacklisted firms. A receives an order from B with the suppliers designated in accordance with A's instructions.
A may not comply with B's selection, because the selection was not in fact made by a bona fide resident of the boycotting country, but by a person located in the United States.
(i) A, a U.S. manufacturer, is asked by boycotting country Y to ship goods to Y on U.S. vessel B, a carrier which is not blacklisted by Y.
A may comply or agree to comply with Y's request, because compliance with the unilateral and specific selection of carriers is expressly permitted under this exception.
(ii) A, a U.S. exporter shipping goods ordered by C, a national of boycotting country Y, is asked by C to insure the shipment through U.S. insurer B.
A may comply or agree to comply with C's request, because compliance with the unilateral and specific selection of an insurer is expressly permitted under this exception.
(iii) A, a U.S. construction company, is hired by C, an agency of the government of boycotting country Y, to build a power plant in Y. C specifies that A should subcontract the foundation work to U.S. contractor B. Part of the foundation design work will be done by B in the United States.
A may comply or agree to comply with Y's designation, because a necessary and not insignificant part of B's services are to be performed within the boycotting country, and such services are customarily performed on-site.
(iv) A, a U.S. contractor, is engaged by boycotting country Y to build a power plant. Y specifies that U.S. architectural firm B should be retained by A to design the plant. In order to design the plant, it is essential that B's personnel visit and become familiar with the site, although the bulk of the design and drawing work will be done in the United States.
A may comply or agree to comply with Y's unilateral and specific selection of architectural firm B, because a necessary and not insignificant part of B's services are to be performed within Y, and such on-site work is customarily involved in the provision of architectural services. The fact that the bulk of the actual work may be performed in the United States is irrelevant since the part to be performed within Y is necessary to B's effective performance.
(v) Same as (iv), except that Y specifies that the turbine for the power plant should be designed by U.S. engineer C. It is neither customary nor necessary for C to visit the site in order to do any of his work, but C has informed A that he would probably want to visit the site in Y if he were selected for the job.
A may not comply or agree to comply with Y's request, because, in the normal course of business, it is neither customary nor necessary for engineer C's services to be performed in Y.
(vi) A, a U.S. aircraft manufacturer, receives a contract from boycotting country Y to manufacture jet engines for Y's use. Y specifies that the engines should be designed by U.S. industrial engineering firm B.
A may not comply or agree to comply with Y's request, because, in the normal course of business, the services will not be performed in Y.
(vii) U.S. company A has a contract to supply specially designed road graders to boycotting country Y. Y has instructed A that it should engage engineering firm B in the design work rather than engineering firm C, which A normally uses, because C is blacklisted. When A contacts B, B informs A that one of B's personnel customarily visits the location in which any equipment B designs is used after it is in use, in order to determine how good a design job B has done. Such visits are necessary from B's point of view to provide a check on the quality of its work, and they are necessary from Y's point of view because they make it possible for Y to discuss possible design changes should deficiencies be detected.
A may not comply with Y's selection of B, because the services which B would perform in Y are an insignificant part of the total services to be performed by B.
(i) A, a U.S. contractor, is constructing an apartment complex, on a turnkey basis, for boycotting country Y. Y instructs A to use only kitchen appliances manufactured by U.S. company B in completing the project. The appliances normally bear the manufacturer's name and trademark.
A may comply with Y's selection of B, because Y's unilateral and specific selection is of goods identifiable as to source or origin in the normal course of business at the time of their entry into Y.
(ii) Same as (i), except that Y directs A to use lumber manufactured only by U.S. company C. In the normal course of business, C neither stamps its name on the lumber nor identifies itself as the manufacturer on the packaging. In addition, normal export packaging does not identify the manufacturer.
A may not comply with Y's selection, because the goods selected are not identifiable by source or origin in the normal course of business at the time of their entry into Y.
(iii) B, a U.S. contractor who is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y, is engaged in building roads. B retains the services of A, a U.S. engineering firm, to assist it in procuring construction equipment. B directs A to purchase road graders only from manufacturer C because other road grader manufacturers which A might use are blacklisted. C's road graders normally bear C's insignia.
A may comply with B's selection of C, because the goods selected are identifiable by source or origin in the normal course of business at the time of their entry into Y.
(iv) A, a U.S. company, manufactures computer-operated machine tools. The computers are mounted on a separate bracket on the side of the equipment and are readily identifiable by brand name imprinted on the equipment. There are five or six U.S. manufacturers of such computers which will function interchangeably to operate the machine tools manufactured by A. B, a resident of boycotting country Y, contracts to buy the machine tools manufactured by A on the condition that A incorporate, as the computer drive, a computer manufactured by U.S. company C. B's designation of C is made to avoid boycott problems which could be caused if computers manufactured by some other company were used.
A may comply with B's designation of C, because the goods selected are identifiable by source or origin in the normal course of business at the time of their entry into Y.
(v) A, a U.S. wholesaler of electronic equipment, receives an order from B, a U.S. manufacturer of radio equipment, who is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y. B orders a variety of electrical components and specifies that all transistors must be purchased from company C, which is not blacklisted by Y. The transistors requested by B do not normally bear the name of the manufacturer; however, they are typically shipped in cartons, and C's name and logo appear on the cartons.
A may comply with B's selection, because the goods selected by B are identifiable as to source or origin in the normal course of business at the time of their entry into Y by virtue of the containers or packaging used.
(vi) A, a U.S. computer manufacturer, receives an order for a computer from B, a university in boycotting country Y. B specifies that certain integrated circuits incorporated in the computer must be supplied by U.S. electronics company C. These circuits are incorporated into the computer and are not visible without disassembling the computer.
A may not comply or agree to comply with B's specific selection of these components, because they are not identifiable as to their source or origin in the normal course of business at the time of their entry into Y.
(vii) A, a U.S. clothing manufacturer, receives an order for shirts from B, a retailer resident in boycotting country Y. B specifies that the shirts are to be manufactured from cotton produced by U.S. farming cooperative C. Such shirts will not identify C or the source of the cotton.
A may not comply or agree to comply with B's designation, because the cotton is not identifiable as to source or origin in the normal course of business at the time of entry into Y.
(viii) A, a U.S. contractor, is retained by B, a construction firm located in and wholly-owned by boycotting country Y, to assist B in procuring construction materials. B directs A to purchase a range of materials, including hardware, tools, and trucks, all of which bear the name of the manufacturer stamped on the item. In addition, B directs A to purchase steel beams manufactured by U.S. company C. The name of manufacturer C normally does not appear on the steel itself or on its export packaging.
A may comply with B's selection of the hardware, tools, and trucks, because they are identifiable as to source or origin in the normal course of business at the time of entry into Y. A may not comply with B's selection of steel beams, because the goods are not identifiable as to source or origin by trade name, trademark, uniqueness or packaging at the time of their entry into Y.
(i) A, a U.S. paper manufacturer, is asked by boycotting country Y to ship goods to Y on U.S. vessel B. Y states that the reason for its choice of B is that, unlike U.S. vessel C, B is not owned by persons of a particular faith.
A may not comply or agree to comply with Y's request, because A has reason to know that the purpose of the selection is to effect religious discrimination against a United States person.
(e) Shipment and transshipment of exports pursuant to a boycotting country's requirements.
(1) A United States person may comply or agree to comply with the export requirements of a boycotting country with respect to shipments or transshipments of exports to:
(i) A boycotted country;
(ii) Any business concern of a boycotted country;
(iii) Any business concern organized under the laws of a boycotted country; or
(iv) Any national or resident of a boycotted country.
(2) This exception permits compliance with restrictions which a boycotting country may place on direct exports to a boycotted country; on indirect exports to a boycotted country (i.e., those that pass via third parties); and on exports to residents, nationals, or business concerns of, or organized under the laws of, a boycotted country, including those located in third countries.
(3) This exception also permits compliance with restrictions which a boycotting country may place on the route of export shipments when the restrictions are reasonably related to preventing the export shipments from coming into contact with or under the jurisdiction of the boycotted country. This exception applies whether a boycotting country or the vendor of the shipment:
(i) Explicitly states that the shipment should not pass through the boycotted country enroute to its final destination; or
(ii) Affirmatively describes a route of shipment that does not include the boycotted country.
(4) A United States person may not, under this exception, refuse on an across-the-board basis to do business with a boycotted country or a national or resident of a boycotted country.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which compliance with the export requirements of a boycotting country is permissible. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) A, a U.S. petroleum company, exports petroleum products to 20 countries, including the United States, from boycotting country Y. Country Y's export regulations require that products not be exported from Y to boycotted country X.
A may agree to and comply with Y's regulations with respect to the export of goods from Y to X.
(ii) Same as (i), except that Y's export regulations require that goods not be exported from boycotting country Y to any business concern organized under the laws of boycotted country X.
A may agree to and comply with Y's regulations with respect to the export of goods from Y to a business concern organized under the laws of X, even if such concern is located in a country not involved in Y's boycott of X.
(iii) B, the operator of a storage facility in country M, contracts with A, a U.S. carrier, for the shipment of certain goods manufactured in boycotting country Y. A's contract with B contains a provision stating that the goods to be transported may not be shipped or transshipped to boycotted country X. B informs A that this provision is a requirement of C, the manufacturer of goods who is a resident of boycotting country Y. Country M is not boycotted by Y.
A may agree to and comply with this provision, because such a provision is required by the export regulations of boycotting country Y in order to prevent shipment of Y-origin goods to a country boycotted by Y.
(iv) A, a U.S. petroleum refiner located in the United States, purchases crude oil from boycotting country Y. A has a branch operation in boycotted country X. Y requires, as a condition of sale, that A agree not to ship or transship the crude oil or products refined in Y to A's branch in X.
A may agree to and comply with these requirements, because they are export requirements of Y designed to prevent Y-origin products from being shipped to a boycotted country.
(v) A, a U.S. company, has a petrochemical plant in boycotting country Y. As a condition of securing an export license from Y, A must agree that it will not ship or permit transshipment of any of its output from the plant in Y to any companies which Y lists as being owned by nationals of boycotted country X.
A may agree to this condition, because it is a restriction designed to prevent Y-origin products from being exported to a business concern of boycotted country X or to nationals of boycotted country X.
(vi) Same as (v), except that the condition imposed on A is that Y-origin goods may not be shipped or permitted to be transshipped to any companies which Y lists as being owned by persons whose national origin is X.
A may not agree to this condition, because it is a restriction designed to prevent Y-origin goods from being exported to persons of a particular national origin rather than to residents or nationals of a particular boycotted country.
(vii) A, a U.S. petroleum company, exports petroleum products to 20 countries, including the United States, from boycotting country Y. Y requires, as a condition of sale, that A not ship the products to be exported from Y to or through boycotted country X.
A may agree to and comply with this requirement because it is an export requirement of Y designed to prevent Y-origin products from coming into contact with or under the jurisdiction of a boycotted country.
(viii) Same as (vii), except that boycotting country Y's export regulations require that products to be exported from Y not pass through a port of boycotted country X.
A may agree to and comply with Y's regulations prohibiting Y-origin exports from passing through a port at boycotted country X, because they are export requirements of Y designed to prevent Y-origin products from coming into contact with or under the jurisdiction of a boycotted country.
(ix) Same as (vii), except that Y's export regulations require that A not transship the exported products “in or at” boycotted country X.
A may agree to and comply with Y's regulations with respect to the transshipment of goods “in or at” X, because they are export requirements of Y designed to prevent Y-origin products from coming into contact with or under the jurisdiction of a boycotted country.
(f) Immigration, passport, visa, or employment requirements of a boycotting country.
(1) A United States individual may comply or agree to comply with the immigration, passport, visa, or employment requirements of a boycotting country, and with requests for information from a boycotting country made to ascertain whether such individual meets requirements for employment within the boycotting country, provided that he furnishes information only about himself or a member of his family, and not about any other United States individual, including his employees, employers, or co-workers.
(2) For purposes of this section, a United States individual means a person who is a resident or national of the United States. Family means immediate family members, including parents, siblings, spouse, children, and other dependents living in the individual's home.
(3) A United States person may not furnish information about its employees or executives, but may allow any individual to respond on his own to any request for information relating to immigration, passport, visa, or employment requirements. A United States person may also perform any ministerial acts to expedite processing of applications by individuals. These include informing employees of boycotting country visa requirements at an appropriate time; typing, translation, messenger and similar services; and assisting in or arranging for the expeditious processing of applications. All such actions must be undertaken on a non-discriminatory basis.
(4) A United States person may proceed with a project in a boycotting country even if certain of its employees or other prospective participants in a transaction are denied entry for boycott reasons. But no employees or other participants may be selected in advance in a manner designed to comply with a boycott.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which compliance with immigration, passport, visa, or employment requirements is permissible. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) A, a U.S. individual employed by B, a U.S. manufacturer of sporting goods with a plant in boycotting country Y, wishes to obtain a work visa so that he may be assigned to the plant in Y. Country Y's immigration laws specify that anyone wishing to enter the country or obtain a visa to work in the country must supply information about his religion. This information is required for boycott purposes.
A may furnish such information, because it is required by Y's immigration laws.
(ii) Same as (i), except that A is asked to supply such information about other employees of B.
A may not supply this information, because it is not information about himself or his family.
(iii) A, a U.S. building contractor, has been awarded a construction contract to be performed in boycotting country Y. Y's immigration laws require that individuals applying for visas must indicate race, religion, and place of birth. The information is sought for boycott purposes. To avoid repeated rejections of applications for work visas by A's employees, A desires to furnish to country Y a list of its prospective and current employees and required information about each so that Y can make an initial screening.
A may not furnish such a list, because A would be furnishing information about the race, religion, and national origin of its employees.
(iv) Same as (iii), except that A selects for work on the project those of its current employees whom it believes will be granted work visas from boycotting country Y.
A may not make a selection from among its employees in a manner designed to comply with the boycott-based visa requirements of Y, but must allow all eligible employees to apply for visas. A may later substitute an employee who obtains the necessary visa for one who has had his application rejected.
(v) Same as (iii), except that A selects employees for the project and then allows each employee individually to apply for his own visa. Two employees' applications are rejected, and A then substitutes two other employees who, in turn, submit their own visa applications.
A may take such action, because in so doing A is not acting in contravention of any prohibition of this part.
(vi) Same as (v), except that A arranges for the translation, typing and processing of its employees' applications, and transmits all the applications to the consulate of boycotting country Y.
A may take such ministerial actions, because in so doing A is not itself furnishing information with respect to race, religion, sex, or national origin, but is merely transmitting information furnished by its individual employees.
(vii) A, a U.S. contractor, selects U.S. subcontractor B to perform certain engineering services in connection with A's project in boycotting country Y. The work visa application submitted by the employee whom B has proposed as chief engineer of this project is rejected by Y because his national origin is of boycotted country X. Subcontractor B thereupon withdraws.
A may continue with the project and select another subcontractor, because A is not acting in contravention of any prohibition of this part.
(g) Compliance with local law. (1) This exception contains two parts. The first covers compliance with local law with respect to a United States person's activities exclusively within a foreign country; the second covers compliance with local import laws by United States persons resident in a foreign country. Under both parts of this exception, local laws are laws of the host country, whether derived from statutes, regulations, decrees, or other official sources having the effect of law in the host country. This exception is not available for compliance with presumed policies or understandings of policies unless those policies are reflected in official sources having the effect of law.
(2) Both parts of this exception apply only to United States persons resident in a foreign country. For purposes of this exception, a United States person will be considered to be a resident of a foreign country only if he is a bona fide resident. A United States person may be a bona fide resident of a foreign country even if such person's residency is temporary.
(3)(i) Factors that will be considered in determining whether a United States person is a bona fide resident of a foreign country include:
(A) Physical presence in the country;
(B) Whether residence is needed for legitimate business reasons;
(C) Continuity of the residency;
(D) Intent to maintain the residency;
(E) Prior residence in the country;
(F) Size and nature of presence in the country;
(G) Whether the person is registered to do business or incorporated in the country;
(H) Whether the person has a valid work visa; and
(I) Whether the person has a similar presence in both boycotting and non-boycotting foreign countries in connection with similar business activities.
(ii) No one of the factors in paragraph (g)(3) of this section is dispositive. All the circumstances involved will be closely examined to ascertain whether there is, in fact, bona fide residency. Residency established solely for purposes of avoidance of the application of this part, unrelated to legitimate business needs, does not constitute bona fide residency.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which a United States person may be a bona fide resident of a foreign country. For purposes of illustration, each example discusses only one or two factors, instead of all relevant factors. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) A, a U.S. radio manufacturer located in the United States, receives a tender to bid on a contract to supply radios for a hotel to be built in boycotting country Y. After examining the proposal, A sends a bid from its New York office to Y.
A is not a resident of Y, because it is not physically present in Y.
(ii) Same as (i), except that after receiving the tender, A sends its sales representative to Y. A does not usually have sales representatives in countries when it bids from the United States, and this particular person's presence in Y is not necessary to enable A to make the bid.
A is not a bona fide resident of Y, because it has no legitimate business reasons for having its sales representative resident in Y.
(iii) A, a U.S. bank, wishes to establish a branch office in boycotting country Y. In pursuit of that objective, A's personnel visit Y to make the necessary arrangements. A intends to establish a permanent branch office in Y after the necessary arrangements are made.
A's personnel in Y are not bona fide residents of Y, because A does not yet have a permanent business operation in Y.
(iv) Same as (iii), except A's personnel are required by Y's laws to furnish certain non-discriminatory boycott information in order to establish a branch in Y.
In these limited circumstances, A's personnel may furnish the non-discriminatory boycott information necessary to establish residency to the same extent a U.S. person who is a bona fide resident in that country could. If this information could not be furnished in such limited circumstances, the exception would be available only to firms resident in a boycotting country before January 18, 1978.
(v) A, a U.S. construction company, receives an invitation to build a power plant in boycotting country Y. After receipt of the invitation, A's personnel visit Y in order to survey the site and make necessary analyses in preparation for submitting a bid. The invitation requires that otherwise prohibited boycott information be furnished with the bid.
A's personnel in Y are not bona fide residents of Y, because A has no permanent business operation in Y. Therefore, A's personnel may not furnish the prohibited information.
(vi) Same as (v), except that A is considering establishing an office in boycotting country Y. A's personnel visit Y in order to register A to do business in that country. A intends to establish ongoing construction operations in Y. A's personnel are required by Y's laws to furnish certain non-discriminatory boycott information in order to register A to do business or incorporate a subsidiary in Y.
In these limited circumstances, A's personnel may furnish non-discriminatory boycott information necessary to establish residency to the same extent a U.S. person who is a bona fide resident in that country could. If this information could not be furnished in such limited circumstances, the exception would be available only to firms resident in a boycotting country before January 18, 1978.
(vii) A, a subsidiary of U.S. oil company B, is located in boycotting country Y. A has been engaged in oil explorations in Y for a number of years.
A is a bona fide resident of Y, because of its pre-existing continuous presence in Y for legitimate business reasons.
(viii) Same as (vii), except that A has just been established in Y and has not yet begun operations.
A is a bona fide resident of Y, because it is present in Y for legitimate business reasons and it intends to reside continuously.
(ix) U.S. company A is a manufacturer of prefabricated homes. A builds a plant in boycotting country Y for purposes of assembling components made by A in the United States and shipped to Y.
A's personnel in Y are bona fide residents of Y, because A's plant in Y is established for legitimate business reasons, and it intends to reside continuously.
(x) U.S. company A has its principal place of business in the United States. A's sales agent visits boycotting country Y from time to time for purposes of soliciting orders.
A's sales agent is not a bona fide resident of Y, because such periodic visits to Y are insufficient to establish a bona fide residency.
(xi) A, a branch office of U.S. construction company B, is located in boycotting country Y. The branch office has been in existence for a number of years and has been performing various management services in connection with B's construction operations in Y.
A is a bona fide resident of Y, because of its longstanding presence in Y and its conduct of ongoing operations in Y.
(xii) U.S. construction company A has never done any business in boycotting country Y. It is awarded a contract to construct a hospital in Y, and preparatory to beginning construction, sends its personnel to Y to set up operations.
A's personnel are bona fide residents of Y, because they are present in Y for the purposes of carrying out A's legitimate business purposes; they intend to reside continuously; and residency is necessary to conduct their business.
(xiii) U.S. company A manufactures furniture. All its sales in foreign countries are conducted from its offices in the United States. From time to time A has considered opening sales offices abroad, but it has concluded that it is more efficient to conduct sales operations from the United States. Shortly after the effective date of this part, A sends a sales representative to boycotting country Y to open an office in and solicit orders from Y. It is more costly to conduct operations from that office than to sell directly from the United States, but A believes that if it establishes a residence in Y, it will be in a better position to avoid conflicts with U.S. law in its sales to Y.
A's sales representative is not a bona fide resident of Y, because the residency was established to avoid the application of this part and not for legitimate business reasons.
(xiv) Same as (xiii), except that it is in fact more efficient to have a sales office in Y. In fact, without a sales office in Y, A would find it difficult to explore business opportunities in Y. A is aware, however, that residency in Y would permit its sales representative to comply with Y's boycott laws.
A's sales representative is a bona fide resident of Y, because A has a legitimate business reason for establishing a sales office in Y.
(xv) U.S. company B is a computer manufacturer. B sells computers and related programming services tailored to the needs of individual clients. Because of the complex nature of the product, B must have sales representatives in any country where sales are made. B has a sales representative, A, in boycotting country Y. A spends two months of the year in Y, and the rest of the year in other countries. B has a permanent sales office from which A operates while in Y, and the sales office is stocked with brochures and other sales materials.
A is a bona fide resident of Y, because his presence in Y is necessary to carry out B's legitimate business purposes; B maintains a permanent office in Y; and B intends to continue doing business in Y in the future.
(xvi) A, a U.S. construction engineering company, is engaged by B, a U.S. general contracting company, to provide services in connection with B's contract to construct a hospital complex in boycotting country Y. In order to perform those services, A's engineers set up a temporary office in a trailer on the construction site in Y. A's work is expected to be completed within six months.
A's personnel in Y are bona fide residents of Y, because A's on-site office is necessary to the performance of its services for B, and because A's personnel are continuously there.
(xvii) A, a U.S. company, sends one of its representatives to boycotting country Y to explore new sales possibilities for its line of transistor radios. After spending several weeks in Y, A's representative rents a post office box in Y, to which all persons interested in A's products are directed to make inquiry.
A is not a bona fide resident of Y, because rental of a post office box is not a sufficient presence in Y to constitute residency.
(xviii) A, a U.S. computer company, has a patent and trademark registered in the United States. In order to obtain registration of its patent and trademark in boycotting country Y, A is required to furnish certain non-discriminatory boycott information.
A may not furnish the information, because A is not a bona fide resident of Y.
(h) Activities exclusively within a foreign country. (1) Any United States person who is a bona fide resident of a foreign country, including a boycotting country, may comply or agree to comply with the laws of that country with respect to his activities exclusively within that country. These activities include:
(i) Entering into contracts which provide that local law applies or governs, or that the parties will comply with such laws;
(ii) Employing residents of the host country;
(iii) Retaining local contractors to perform work within the host country;
(iv) Purchasing or selling goods or services from or to residents of the host country; and
(v) Furnishing information within the host country.
(2) Activities exclusively within the country do not include importing goods or services from outside the host country, and, therefore, this part of the exception does not apply to compliance with import laws in connection with importing goods or services.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which compliance with local law is permissible. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) U.S. construction company A, a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y, has a contract to build a school complex in Y. Pursuant to Y's boycott laws, the contract requires A to refuse to purchase supplies from certain local merchants. While Y permits such merchants to operate within Y, their freedom of action in Y is constrained because of their relationship with boycotted country X.
A may enter into the contract, because dealings with local merchants are activities exclusively within Y.
(ii) A, a banking subsidiary of U.S. bank B, is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y. From time to time, A purchases office supplies from the United States.
A's purchase of office supplies is not an activity exclusively within Y, because it involves the import of goods from abroad.
(iii) A, a branch of U.S. bank B, is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y. Under Y's boycott laws, A is required to supply information about whether A has any dealings with boycotted country X. A compiles and furnishes the information within Y and does so of its own knowledge.
A may comply with that requirement, because in compiling and furnishing the information within Y, based on its own knowledge, A is engaging in an activity exclusively within Y.
(iv) Same as (iii), except that A is required to supply information about B's dealings with X. From its own knowledge and without making any inquiry of B, A compiles and furnishes the information.
A may comply with that requirement, because in compiling and furnishing the information within Y, based on its own knowledge, A is engaging in an activity exclusively within Y.
(v) Same as (iv), except that in making its responses, A asks B to compile some of the information.
A may not comply, because the gathering of the necessary information takes place partially outside Y.
(vi) U.S. company A has applied for a license to establish a permanent manufacturing facility in boycotting country Y. Under Y's boycott law, A must agree, as a condition of the license, that it will not sell any of its output to blacklisted foreign firms.
A may not comply, because the agreement would govern activities of A which are not exclusively within Y.
(i) A, a subsidiary of U.S. company B, is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y. A manufactures air conditioners in its plant in Y. Under Y's boycott laws, A must agree not to hire nationals of boycotted country X.
A may agree to the restriction and may abide by it with respect to its recruitment of individuals within Y, because the recruitment of such individuals is an activity exclusively within Y. However, A cannot abide by this restriction with respect to its recruitment of individuals outside Y, because this is not an activity exclusively within Y.
(ii) Same as (i), except that pursuant to Y's boycott laws, A must agree not to hire anyone who is of a designated religion.
A may not agree to this restriction, because the agreement calls for discrimination against U.S. persons on the basis of religion. It makes no difference whether the recruitment of the U.S. persons occurs within or without Y.
The exception for compliance with local law does not apply to boycott-based refusals to employ U.S. persons on the basis of race, religion, sex, or national origin even if the activity is exclusively within the boycotting country.)
(i) Compliance with local import law. (1) Any United States person who is a bona fide resident of a foreign country, including a boycotting country, may, in importing goods, materials or components into that country, comply or agree to comply with the import laws of that country, provided that:
(i) The items are for his own use or for his use in performing contractual services within that country; and
(ii) In the normal course of business, the items are identifiable as to their source or origin at the time of their entry into the foreign country by:
(a) Uniqueness of design or appearance; or
(b) Trademark, trade name, or other identification normally on the items themselves, including their packaging.
(2) The factors that will be considered in determining whether a United States person is a bona fide resident of a foreign country are those set forth in paragraph (g) of this section. Bona fide residence of a United States company's subsidiary, affiliate, or other permanent establishment in a foreign country does not confer such residence on such United States company. Likewise, bona fide residence of a United States company's employee in a foreign country does not confer such residence on the entire company.
(3) A United States person who is a bona fide resident of a foreign country may take action under this exception through an agent outside the country, but the agent must act at the direction of the resident and not exercise his own discretion. Therefore, if a United States person resident in a boycotting country takes action to comply with a boycotting country's import law with respect to the importation of qualified goods, he may direct his agent in the United States on the action to be taken, but the United States agent himself may not exercise any discretion.
(4) For purposes of this exception, the test that governs whether goods or components of goods are specifically identifiable is identical to the test applied in paragraph (d) of this section on “Compliance With Unilateral and Specific Selection” to determine whether they are identifiable as to their source or origin in the normal course of business.
(5) The availability of this exception for the import of goods depends on whether the goods are intended for the United States person's own use at the time they are imported. It does not depend upon who has title to the goods at the time of importation into a foreign country.
(6) Goods are for the United States person's own use (including the performance of contractual services within the foreign country) if:
(i) They are to be consumed by the United States person;
(ii) They are to remain in the United States person's possession and to be used by that person;
(iii) They are to be used by the United States person in performing contractual services for another;
(iv) They are to be further manufactured, incorporated into, refined into, or reprocessed into another product to be manufactured for another; or
(v) They are to be incorporated into, or permanently affixed as a functional part of, a project to be constructed for another.
(7) Goods acquired to fill an order for such goods from another are not for the United States person's own use. Goods procured for another are not for one's own use, even if the furnishing of procurement services is the business in which the United States person is customarily engaged. Nor are goods obtained for simple resale acquired for one's own use, even if the United States person is engaged in the retail business. Likewise, goods obtained for inclusion in a turnkey project are not for one's own use if they are not customarily incorporated into, or do not customarily become permanently affixed as a functional part of the project.
(8) This part of the local law exception does not apply to the import of services, even when the United States person importing such services is a bona fide resident of a boycotting country and is importing them for his own use. In addition, this exception is available for a United States person who is a bona fide resident of a foreign country only when the individual or entity actually present within that country takes action through the exercise of his own discretion.
(9) Use of this exception will be monitored and continually reviewed to determine whether its continued availability is consistent with the national interest. Its availability may be limited or withdrawn as appropriate. In reviewing the continued availability of this exception, the effect that the inability to comply with local import laws would have on the economic and other relations of the United States with boycotting countries will be considered.
(10) A United States person who is a bona fide resident of a foreign country may comply or agree to comply with the host country's import laws even if he knows or has reason to know that particular laws are boycott-related. However, no United States person may comply or agree to comply with any host country law which would require him to discriminate against any United States person on the basis of race, religion, sex, or national origin, or to supply information about any United States person's race, religion, sex, or national origin.
The following examples are intended to give guidance in determining the circumstances in which compliance with local import law is permissible. They are illustrative, not comprehensive.
(i) A, a subsidiary of U.S. company B, is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y and is engaged in oil drilling operations in Y. In acquiring certain large, specifically identifiable products for carrying out its operations in Y, A chooses only from non-blacklisted firms because Y's import laws prohibit the importation of goods from blacklisted firms. However, with respect to smaller items, B makes the selection on behalf of A and sends them to A in Y.
A may choose from non-blacklisted firms, because it is a U.S. person who is a bona fide resident in Y. However, because B is not resident in Y, B cannot make boycott-based selections to conform with Y's import laws prohibiting the importation of goods from blacklisted firms.
(ii) Same as (i), except that after making its choices on the larger items, A directs B to carry out its instructions by entering into appropriate contracts and making necessary shipping arrangements.
B may carry out A's instructions provided that A, a bona fide resident of Y, has in fact made the choice and B is exercising no discretion, but is acting only as A's agent.
Such transactions between related companies will be scrutinized carefully. A must in fact exercise the discretion and make the selections. If the discretion is exercised by B, B would be in violation of this part.)
(iii) U.S. construction company A has a contract to build a school in boycotting country Y. A's employees set up operations in Y for purposes of commencing construction. A's employees in Y advise A's headquarters in the United States that Y's import laws prohibit importation of goods manufactured by blacklisted firms. A's headquarters then issues invitations to bid only to non-blacklisted firms for certain specifically identifiable goods.
A's headquarters' choice of non-blacklisted suppliers is not a choice made by a U.S. person who is a bona fide resident of Y, because the discretion in issuing the bids was exercised in the United States, not in Y.
(iv) Same as (iii), except that A's employees in Y actually make the decision regarding to whom the bids should be issued.
The choices made by A's employees are choices made by U.S. persons who are bona fide residents of Y, because the discretion in choosing was exercised solely in Y.
Choices purportedly made by employees of U.S. companies who are resident in boycotting countries will be carefully scrutinized to ensure that the discretion was exercised entirely in the boycotting country.)
The test and examples as to what constitutes specifically identifiable goods are identical to those applicable under paragraph (d) of this section on “Compliance With Unilateral Selection.”
(i) A, a subsidiary of U.S. company B, is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y. A plans to import computer operated machine tools to be installed in its automobile plant in boycotting country Y. The computers are mounted on a separate bracket on the side of the equipment and are readily identifiable by brand name. A orders the tools from U.S. supplier C and specifies that C must incorporate computers manufactured by D, a non-blacklisted company. A would have chosen computers manufactured by E, except that E is blacklisted, and Y's import laws prohibit the importation of goods manufactured by blacklisted firms.
A may refuse to purchase E's computers, because A is importing the computers for its own use in its manufacturing operations in Y.
(ii) A, a subsidiary of U.S. company B, is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y. To meet the needs of its employees in Y, A imports certain specifically identifiable commissary items for sale, such as cosmetics; and canteen items, such as candy. In selecting such items for importation into Y, A chooses items made only by non-blacklisted firms, because Y's import laws prohibit importation of goods from blacklisted firms.
A may import these items only from non-blacklisted firms, because the importation of goods for consumption by A's employees is an importation for A's own use.
(iii) A, a U.S. construction company which is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y, has a contract to build a hospital complex for the Ministry of Health in Y. Under the contract, A will be general manager of the project with discretion to choose all subcontractors and suppliers. The complex is to be built on a turnkey basis, with A retaining title to the property and bearing all financial risk until the complex is conveyed to Y. In choosing specifically identifiable goods for import, such as central air conditioning units and plate glass, A excludes blacklisted suppliers in order to comply with Y's import laws. These goods are customarily incorporated into, or permanently affixed as a functional part of, the project.
A may refuse to deal with blacklisted suppliers of specifically identifiable goods, because importation of goods by a general contractor to be incorporated into a construction project in Y is an importation of goods for A's own use.
(iv) Same as (iii), except that, in addition, in choosing U.S. architects and engineers to work on the project, A excludes blacklisted firms, because Y's import laws prohibit the use of services rendered by blacklisted persons.
A may not refuse to deal with blacklisted architectural or engineering firms, because this exception does not apply to the import of services. It is irrelevant that, at some stage, the architectural or engineering drawings or plans may be brought to the site in Y. This factor is insufficient to transform such services into “goods” for purposes of this exception.
(v) Same as (iii), except that the project is to be completed on a “cost plus” basis, with Y making progress payments to A at various stages of completion.
A may refuse to deal with blacklisted suppliers of specifically identifiable goods, because the importation of goods by A to be incorporated in a project A is under contract to complete is an importation of goods for its own use. The terms of payment are irrelevant.
(vi) A, a U.S. construction company which is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y, has a contract for the construction of an office building in Y on a turnkey basis. In choosing goods to be used or included in the office complex, A orders wallboard, office partitions, and lighting fixtures from non-blacklisted manufacturers. A likewise orders desks, office chairs, typewriters, and office supplies from non-blacklisted manufacturers.
Because they are customarily incorporated into or permanently affixed as a functional part of an office building, the wallboard, office partitions, and lighting fixtures are for A's own use, and A may select non-blacklisted suppliers of these goods in order to comply with Y's import laws. Because they are not customarily incorporated into or permanently affixed to the project, the desks, office chairs, typewriters, and office supplies are not for A's own use, and A may not make boycott-based selections of the suppliers of these goods.
(vii) A, a U.S. company engaged in the business of selling automobiles, is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y. In ordering automobiles from time to time for purposes of stocking its inventory, A purchases from U.S. manufacturer B, but not U.S. manufacturer C, because C is blacklisted. Retail sales are subsequently made from this inventory.
A's import of automobiles from B is not an import for A's own use, because the importation of items for general inventory in a retail sales operation is not an importation for one's own use.
(viii) A, a U.S. company engaged in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products, is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y. In importing chemicals for incorporation into the pharmaceutical products, A purchases from U.S. supplier B, but not U.S. supplier C, because C is blacklisted.
A may import chemicals from B rather than C, because the importation of specifically identifiable items for incorporation into another product is an importation for one's own use.
(ix) A, a U.S. management company which is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y, has a contract with the Ministry of Education in Y to purchase supplies for Y's school system. From time to time, A purchases goods from abroad for delivery to various schools in Y.
A's purchase of goods for Y's school system does not constitute an importation of goods for A's own use, because A is acting as a procurement agent for another. A, therefore, cannot make boycott-based selections of suppliers of such school supplies.
(x) A, a U.S. company which is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y, has a contract to make purchases for Y in connection with a construction project in Y. A is not engaged in the construction of, or in any other activity in connection with, the project. A's role is merely to purchase goods for Y and arrange for their delivery to Y.
A is not purchasing goods for its own use, because A is acting as a procurement agent for Y. A, therefore, cannot make boycott selections of suppliers of such goods.
(xi) A, a U.S. company which is a bona fide resident of boycotting country Y, imports specifically identifiable goods into Y for exhibit by A at a trade fair in Y. In selecting goods for exhibit, A excludes items made by blacklisted firms.
A's import of goods for its exhibit at a trade fair constitutes an import for A's own use. However, A may not sell in Y those goods it imported for exhibit.
(xii) A is a bona fide resident of boycotting countries Y and Z. In compliance with Y's boycott laws, A chooses specifically identifiable goods for its oil drilling operations in Y and Z by excluding blacklisted suppliers. The goods are first imported into Y. Those purchased for A's use in Z are then transshipped to Z.
In selecting those goods for importation into Y, A is making an import selection for its own use, even though A may use some of the imported goods in Z. Further, the subsequent shipment from Y to Z of those goods purchased for use in Z is an import into Z for A's own use.