Foreign policy and sanctions

Executive Order 12854: Implementation of the Cuban Democracy Act

President: Bill Clinton

Assigned State, Treasury and Commerce responsibilities for implementing the Cuban Democracy Act; official sanctions materials continue to list the order.

Status: In effect.

Is Executive Order 12854 still in effect? Yes. Continuing implementation delegation; Cuba program remains active.

What does Executive Order 12854 do?

EO 12854 directed all agencies to take appropriate measures to implement the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992. It assigned the Act’s diplomatic, certification and reporting functions to State, transaction restrictions to Treasury, and export controls on goods and technology to Commerce, with consultation among the three departments. Treasury’s current Cuba sanctions page continues to list EO 12854 alongside the statute and regulations.

Administration position: The order implemented restrictions and policy choices enacted in the Cuban Democracy Act. It did not independently establish whether any particular modern transaction is prohibited.
SignedJuly 4, 1993
Lead departmentsState, Treasury and Commerce
Statute implementedCuban Democracy Act of 1992

Before and after

Before the order

The Cuban Democracy Act assigned new Cuba-policy duties but required executive-branch implementation.

After the order

Named departments received implementation and rulemaking responsibilities within their existing authority.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
StateImplement diplomatic, certification and reporting provisionsOngoing under the Act
TreasuryAdminister covered Cuba transaction restrictionsThrough regulations and licenses
CommerceAdminister covered exports of goods and technologyThrough export-control authorities

What happened next

EO 12854 signed and made immediately effective.

Treasury’s official Cuba program still lists EO 12854.