Foreign policy and sanctions

Executive Order 12853: Blocking Government of Haiti Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Haiti

President: Bill Clinton

Expanded blocking and transaction restrictions involving Haiti’s de facto regime under United Nations measures; EO 12932 later terminated the emergency and revoked it.

Status: Revoked.

Is Executive Order 12853 still in effect? No. Revoked effective October 16, 1994.

What does Executive Order 12853 do?

EO 12853 expanded the Haiti sanctions emergency begun in 1991, blocking covered property and restricting specified petroleum, arms and other transactions. EO 12932, signed on October 14, 1994, expressly revoked EO 12853 and ended that emergency effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on October 16. The successor order preserved proceedings, liabilities and penalties arising before its effective date; later Haiti-related restrictions require their own authority.

Administration position: The order implemented United Nations Security Council measures and described further economic restrictions as necessary to address the Haitian crisis. That was the administration’s foreign-policy determination.
SignedJune 30, 1993
Lead agenciesTreasury, in consultation with State
Authority citedIEEPA, National Emergencies Act and U.N. Participation Act

Before and after

Before the order

Earlier orders had declared the Haiti emergency and blocked specified government property and transactions.

After the order

The sanctions covered additional property, persons and transactions until the emergency ended in October 1994.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
TreasuryIdentify blocked interests and administer licensesDuring the sanctions program
U.S. personsBlock covered property and avoid prohibited transactionsFrom the effective date
Customs and other agenciesEnforce petroleum, arms and transaction restrictionsWhile the order remained in force

What happened next

EO 12853 signed.

EO 12932 took effect, revoking EO 12853 and ending the 1991 Haiti emergency.