538.212—Exempt transactions.
(a) Personal communications.
The prohibitions contained in this part do not apply to any postal, telegraphic, telephonic, or other personal communication, which does not involve the transfer of anything of value.
(b) Humanitarian donations.
The prohibitions of this part do not apply to donations by United States persons of articles, such as food, clothing, and medicine, intended to be used to relieve human suffering.
(c) Information and informational materials.
(1)
The importation from any country and the exportation to any country of information or informational materials as defined in § 538.306, whether commercial or otherwise, regardless of format or medium of transmission, are exempt from the prohibitions and regulations of this part.
(2)
This section does not authorize transactions related to information and informational materials not fully created and in existence at the date of the transactions, or to the substantive or artistic alteration or enhancement of informational materials, or to the provision of marketing and business consulting services. Such prohibited transactions include, without limitation, payment of advances for informational materials not yet created and completed, provision of services to market, produce or co-produce, create or assist in the creation of information and informational materials, and payment of royalties to the Government of Sudan or a person in Sudan with respect to income received for enhancements or alterations made by U.S. persons to information or informational materials imported from the Government of Sudan or a person in Sudan.
(3)
This section does not authorize transactions incident to the exportation of software subject to the Export Administration Regulations, 15 CFR parts 730-774, or to the exportation of goods, technology or software for use in the transmission of any data. The exportation of such items to the Government of Sudan or to Sudan is prohibited, as provided in §§ 538.201 and 538.205.
(d) Travel.
The prohibitions contained in this part do not apply to transactions ordinarily incident to travel to or from any country, including exportation or importation of accompanied baggage for personal use, maintenance within any country including payment of living expenses and acquisition of goods or services for personal use, and arrangement or facilitation of such travel including non-scheduled air, sea, or land voyages.
(e) Official business.
The prohibitions contained in this part do not apply to transactions for the conduct of the official business of the Federal Government or the United Nations by employees thereof.
(f) Journalistic activity.
The prohibitions contained in this part do not apply to transactions in Sudan for journalistic activity by persons regularly employed in such capacity by a news-gathering organization.
(g)
(1) Specified Areas of Sudan.
Except for the provisions of §§ 538.201 through 538.203, 538.210, and 538.211, and except as provided in paragraph (g)(2) of this section, the prohibitions contained in this part do not apply to activities or related transactions with respect to the Specified Areas of Sudan.
(2)
The exemption in paragraph (g)(1) of this section does not apply to the exportation or reexportation of agricultural commodities (including bulk agricultural commodities listed in appendix A to this part 538 ), medicine, and medical devices.