What has the government of Cuba agreed to or done since 17 December 2014:

Re-establish diplomatic relations
Re-open its embassy in Washington, DC
Authorize the re-opening of the United States Embassy in Havana
Accepted removal from the List of State Sponsors of Terrorism (“Sanctions List”)
Hosted an official (state) visit by President Barack Obama
Hosted visits by four (4) members of the Obama Administration Cabinet: The Honorable John Kerry, United States Secretary of State; The Honorable Penny Pritzker, United States Secretary of Commerce; The Honorable Thomas Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture; The Honorable Anthony Foxx, United States Department of Transportation
Hosted a visit by The Honorable R. Gil Kerlikowske, Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Hosted a visit by The Honorable Thomas Wheeler, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission
More than seventy (70) representatives of the government of Cuba have visited the United States
More than one hundred and forty (140) representatives of the United States government have visited Cuba
Hosted for formal meeting more than 120 senior-level representatives of United States companies (more than 400 have visited and held individual meetings and non-official meetings)
Continue to decrease food product/agricultural commodity purchases authorized by the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act (TSREEA) of 2000; down 41% in 2015 compared to 2014; down 29% for 1st quarter of 2016
Increase healthcare product purchases authorized by the Cuban Democracy Act (CDA) of 1992. Healthcare product exports (cash-only with verification requirements) permitted by the CDA increased 457% in 2015 compared with 2014
Authorize a direct correspondent banking agreement by Banco Internacional de Comercio S.A. (BICSA) with Florida-based Stonegate Bank
Authorize Stonegate Bank to issue a MasterCard-branded debit card and credit card for use in Cuba (10,800 current locations); with expansion in 2016 for use at ATM locations in Cuba
Announced (but not implemented) a removal of the 10% surcharge for converting United States currency to CUC
Authorize hospitality companies to contract with assets owned by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of the Republic of Cuba
Authorize Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (being acquired by Marriott International) to manage three properties (rebranding one to a Four Points by Sheraton) in Cuba (Gran Caribe-owned Hotel Inglaterra; Habaguanex-owned Hotel Santa Isabel; Gaviota-owned Hotel Quinta Avenida)
Authorize Marriott International to manage properties in Cuba
Authorize California-based Google to install and operate a no-cost high-speed Internet-based product display and interactive location(s)
Authorize booking.com (owned by New York-based The Priceline Group) to provide hotel reservations services for United States authorized travelers
Authorize California-based Air bnb, Inc. to offer reservations throughout the world
Authorize Cisco Systems to establish a no-cost Networking Academy in Havana
Authorize Cuba government-operated Banco Popular de Ahorro to establish lines of credit up to US$400.00 for licensed independent businesses; but continue to prohibit the entities to import products directly, requiring purchases through government-operated companies
Creating a uniform commercial code and mortgage regulations
Authorize roaming agreements between Cuba government-operated ETECSA and New York-based Verizon Wireless, Kansas-based Sprint, Texas-based AT&T, Washington-based T-Mobile
Increase Wi-Fi areas (parks and urban) for wireless Internet access
Negotiate with Alabama-based Cleber LLC tractor warehouse/assembly facility in Mariel Special Development Zone. OFAC has authorized. 1st year investment US$1.4 million (which has been obtained according to the company); total investment US$5 million
Purchased through Republic of Cuba government-operated Tecnotex (affiliated with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of the Republic of Cuba) advanced planting and harvesting equipment valued at US$108,184,00 from Foley, Alabama-based GulfWise LLC, affiliated with Foley, Alabama-based The Woerner Companies (2015 revenues exceeded US$40 million) for use by Republic of Cuba government-operated Indio Hatuey Research Station, a Matanzas, Republic of Cuba-based agricultural research institution
Resumption of direct long-distance telephone service through an agreement between ETECSA and New Jersey-based IDT Corporation
Negotiate the re-establishment of regularly-scheduled commercial airline service (Civil Aviation Agreement- CAA); Arrangement (US) & Memorandum of Understanding (Cuba) signed in December 2015; Arrangement signed February 2016
Agree to a (limited) resumption of United States Postal Service operations
Permit a substantial increase in visitors from United States visitors (charter flights, pleasure craft, general aviation aircraft, cruise lines, and third-country transit) and revenues from those visitors. United States visitors to Cuba (authorized, unauthorized, non-family), who have the highest net profit margin per person of any visitor to the country, increased 76.6% from approximately 92,000 in 2014 to 161,233 in 2015; and increased 93% in the 1st quarter of 2016 to 92,000 compared to 2015
Continue to increase hotel room rates in the city of Havana; Paris, France-based AccorHotels has increased per night rates (with breakfast) at the Hotel Mercure Sevilla Habane from US$120.00 in November 2015 to US$180.00 in March 2016 and US$280.00 in November 2016
Authorize Miami, Florida-based Carnival Cruise Line to operate itineraries
The Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment (CITMA) of the Republic of Cuba signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Park Service (NPS). “The MOU aims to facilitate joint efforts concerning science, stewardship, and management related to Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The MOU also includes a sister MPA program to foster conservation and understanding of natural marine resources in both countries, sharing technical and scientific data, and promoting education and outreach initiatives.”
Signed a joint statement with the United States Department of State on environmental cooperation including coastal and marine protection, the protection of biodiversity including endangered and threatened species, climate change, disaster risk reduction, and marine pollution
National Office of Hydrography and Geodesy (ONHG) signed a MOU with NOAA to improve maritime navigation safety and related areas of mutual interest to protect lives and property at sea
Changed policy to permit individuals of Cuban descent to travel to the Republic of Cuba by authorized cruise ship
The Ministry of Public Health of the Republic of Cuba signed a MOU with the United States Department of Health and Human Services
Agreed to discussions regarding bilateral claims

What has the government of Cuba not (yet) agreed to or done since 17 December 2014:

Authorize ferry services
Authorize United States companies to export products directly to the 200+ categories of licensed independent businesses
Authorize credit cards (although this has compliance issues for United States financial institutions; New York-based MasterCard has removed its “block” on credit cards issued by United States financial institutions using its brand). There are approximately 10,800 points of sale in Cuba
Authorize any United States company to have an operational presence (including hiring Cuban nationals, obtaining office space, establish bank accounts)
Authorize Florida-based Florida Produce of Hillsborough County to establish in Havana a distribution center for food products and agricultural commodities
Authorize United States companies to engage in loan/lease programs to licensed independent businesses
Purchase communications/telecommunications equipment, although there are security, pricing and sourcing reasons not to purchase the equipment or permit the provision of such services
Respond in a timely manner to inquiries from United States companies
Compensate certified claimants

What has the government of the United States agreed to or done since 17 December 2014:

Re-establish diplomatic relations
Re-open its embassy in Havana
Authorize the re-opening of the Cuban Embassy in Washington
Removed Cuba from the List of State Sponsors of Terrorism (“Sanctions List”)
Visit to Cuba by President Barack Obama
Dispatched four (4) members of the Cabinet to Cuba: The Honorable John Kerry, United States Secretary of State; The Honorable Penny Pritzker, United States Secretary of Commerce; The Honorable Thomas Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture; The Honorable Anthony Foxx, United States Department of Transportation
Dispatched The Honorable R. Gil Kerlikowske, Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection to Cuba
Dispatched The Honorable Thomas Wheeler, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission to Cuba
Included Maria Contreras-Sweet, Administrator of the Small Business Administration, in the Official Delegation visiting Cuba with President Obama
Permitted more than one hundred forty (140) representatives of the United States government to visit Cuba
Permitted more than seventy (70) representatives of the government of Cuba to visit the United States
Remove or lessen most licensing requirements for authorized travel to Cuba
Negotiate a Civil Aviation Agreement (CAA)-equivalent (“Arrangement”) and remove most impediments relating to commercial flight operations
Agree to a (limited) resumption of United States Postal Service operations
Remove some restrictions upon U.S. financial institutions
Re-authorize direct correspondent banking agreements
Re-authorize credit card and debit card usage
Authorize hospitality companies to manage properties in Cuba
Authorize hospitality companies to contract with assets owned by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of the Republic of Cuba
Authorized Republic of Cuba government-operated Tecnotex (affiliated with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of the Republic of Cuba) to purchase advanced planting and harvesting equipment valued at approximately US$125,000.00 from Alabama-based Woerner Companies for use by Republic of Cuba government-operated Indio Hatuey, a Matanzas-based agricultural research institution
Authorize Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (being acquired by Marriott International) to manage three properties (rebranding one to a Four Points by Sheraton) in Cuba (Gran Caribe-owned Hotel Inglaterra; Habaguanex-owned Hotel Santa Isabel; Gaviota-owned Hotel Quinta Avenida)
Authorized Internet and telecommunications companies to install equipment in Cuba
Authorize Marriott International to manage properties in Cuba
Authorized booking.com (owned by New York-based The Priceline Group) to provide hotel reservations services for United States authorized travelers
Authorize California-based Air bnb, Inc. to offer reservations throughout the world
Authorize California-based Google to install and operate a no-cost high-speed Internet-based product display and interactive location(s)
Authorize Cisco Systems to establish a no-cost Networking Academy in Havana
Expanded the list of products that may be exports to Cuba and authorize payment terms for product exports to Cuba not subject to prohibitions by the CDA or TSREEA
Removed limits on remittances to Cuba
Authorized individuals and businesses to have bank accounts in Cuba
Authorized the export to Cuba of 100% U.S.-origin products from third countries
Authorized companies to establish offices in Cuba
Authorize payments to Republic of Cuba nationals who work in the United States
Changed the definition of the “cash in advance” provision of TSREEA from “cash before shipment” to cash before transfer of title and control”
Authorize micro-financing projects
Authorized financing (bank and third-party) and payment terms for selected authorized exports
Expand the list of eligible products authorized for importation to the United States to include textiles and coffee
Removed Cuba from the Exclusion List maintained by the International Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission
Discuss the issue of claims
Removed restrictions upon Cuba for the use of United States Dollars for international transactions
US Coast Guard removed conditions of entry on vessels arriving from Cuba
In selected instances, use an expansive, rather than constrictive interpretation of the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act (TSREEA) of 2000, title IX, Public Law 106-387 [22 U.S.C. 7207(a)(1)] (TSRA)

What has the government of the United States not (yet) agreed to or done since 17 December 2014:

Not authorized Republic of Cuba government-operated financial institutions to have correspondent bank accounts at United States-based financial institutions
In all instances, use an expansive, rather than constrictive interpretation of the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act (TSREEA) of 2000, title IX, Public Law 106-387 [22 U.S.C. 7207(a)(1)] (TSRA)

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Economic Eye On Cuba

What Has Happened/Not (Yet) Happened Since 17 December 2014

U.S. - Cuba Trade and Economic Council, Inc.