Cuba Eases Wholesale Market Rules for Foreign Companies to Boost Investment

The changes were published in Cuba's Official Gazette on Friday and form part of a wider package of reforms aimed at improving the availability of materials and other inputs required by domestic businesses and producers.

Under the new rules, branches of foreign companies operating in Cuba will be permitted to import and export goods and distribute products on a wholesale basis within the country.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Deborah Rivas said the changes could simplify supply chains by allowing overseas suppliers to deal more directly with the Cuban market.

Rivas said removing intermediaries from the distribution process could also help reduce costs and, potentially, prices for businesses purchasing imported goods.

Under the previous system, foreign suppliers would provide products while Cuban importing companies were responsible for customs procedures, transportation and domestic distribution. The new framework allows foreign suppliers to undertake wholesale distribution themselves.

The government has also expanded rules governing the employment of workers by foreign commercial entities. The move follows Decree-Law 128, issued in September, which amended Cuba's Foreign Investment Law to allow companies with foreign capital to choose between hiring employees directly and using authorised employment agencies.

Rivas said the latest regulations extend the direct-hiring option to foreign commercial representative offices, which operate under a separate regulatory framework.

Cuban companies will also be able to seek direct authorisation to import and export goods through the Foreign Trade Single Window, an online platform designed to provide access to trade-related procedures nationwide without requiring companies to rely on intermediaries.

A separate Foreign Investment Single Window continues to handle enquiries and applications from potential investors. Rivas said the platform had received interest from prospective investors in several countries.

The government has also reiterated that Cubans living abroad can participate in foreign investment projects and contribute capital from within or outside the country under the same terms applicable to other economic participants.

The latest changes build on measures announced by Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment since November 2025 as the government seeks to encourage investment, improve access to supplies and support economic recovery.

Rivas described Cuba as an open destination for international investment, saying the government was seeking to create greater opportunities for foreign companies to participate in the country's economy.

The reforms come as Havana faces continued economic pressures, including shortages of imported goods and production inputs, making increased foreign investment and more efficient trade channels a priority for the government.