In the year 2000, the United States did ease the agricultural export ban to Cuba, but a later tightening of policy, to require advance cash payments, choked off Cuban purchases of US grain.

VOA: standard.2010.07.29

Detailed export documentation had to be prepared long in advance.

BBC: Who, What, Why: How do you fly a panda 5,000 miles?

Huawei submitted a timely request to the Bureau of Industry and Security at the Department of Commerce in advance of completing the purchase in May and the Department of Commerce certified that no license was required to export the 3Leaf technology.

FORBES: Huawei's Open Letter To U.S. Investigators