It is reported that, although shareholders of Paraguayan companies may be natural or legal persons regardless of their residence status, directors, managers and legal representatives must be Paraguayan citizens or foreigners with valid residence permits in Paraguay.

According to Art. 8 of Decree No. 14201/2001, which regulates Law No. 1630/2000 on Patents, a patent application must include, inter alia, the name and address of the acting Industrial Property Agent together with their registration number, as well as a simple copy of the power of attorney or instruction document. According to the official website of the National Intellectual Property Directorate (DINAPI), representation by an Industrial Property Agent is mandatory for filing patent applications, and one of the requirements to act as such an agent is to be a lawyer duly registered with the Supreme Court of Justice of Paraguay.

According to Art. 60 of the Patent Law, all proceedings before the Industrial Property Directorate must be conducted through an Industrial Property Agent registered with the Directorate and domiciled in the capital. According to the official website of the National Intellectual Property Directorate (DINAPI), one of the requirements for acting as an Industrial Property Agent is to be a lawyer duly registered with the Supreme Court of Justice of Paraguay.

Paraguay is not a party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

Paraguay has a copyright regime under the Law No. 1328. However, the exceptions do not follow the fair use or fair dealing model, therefore limiting the lawful use of copyrighted work by others. Arts. 38-46 list exceptions, including reproduction by reprographic means for teaching or examination purposes in educational institutions and reproduction of a work for judicial or administrative proceedings, provided such reproduction is justified by the intended purpose, among others.

It is reported that online copyright enforcement in Paraguay remains inadequate, with persistent challenges related to effective and consistent prosecutions and judicial actions. Paraguay’s National Directorate of Intellectual Property (DINAPI) has publicly identified audiovisual piracy as a major enforcement and market problem, noting that the illegal retransmission of football matches and other protected audiovisual content is estimated to generate losses of around USD 100 million per year.

Paraguay is not a signatory of the 1996 World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) nor the 2015 expansion (ITA II).

According to Art. 33 of the Public Procurement and Contracting Law, international contracting may only be pursued under two conditions: (i) when a market analysis conducted by the bidder determines that no domestic suppliers, consultants, or contractors are able to offer the required goods, services, consulting, or work, either in terms of quantity, quality, or price; or (ii) when, following a national call for bids, no proposals are submitted, or none meet the requirements specified by the bidder. Art. 33 further establishes the obligation to register an address in Paraguay or to designate a local representative for the purposes of the relevant communications at the time of contracting in the case of a foreign bidder.

According to Art. 33 of the Public Procurement and Contracting Law, in international contracting procedures, the bidders shall grant the benefit of a 10% margin of preference to bids that incorporate (i) the use of the country's human resources and (ii) the acquisition and lease of goods produced in the Republic of Paraguay.

In accordance with Art. 27 of the Public Procurement and Contracting Law, an Annual Public Procurement Program is established to promote micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). This program must specify expenditure items and categories from the Catalogue of Goods, Services, Consultancy, and Public Works that are designated for preferential contracting with MSMEs. The Law requires each entity to set an annual market reserve for MSMEs, aiming to reach 20% within a period not exceeding five years from the law's enactment.

Paraguay is not a party to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA). However, the country has been an observer of the WTO GPA since 2019.

It is reported that the telecommunications sector is open to competition, except for fixed lines and international carrier services, which remain under State monopoly with the "Compañía Paraguaya de Comunicaciones". This is despite full foreign ownership being allowed in the telecommunications sector.

Law No. 45 and Executive Decree No. 24 provide a comprehensive framework for consumer protection that also applies to online transactions. Law No. 45 regulates consumer relations and specifies consumer rights, including suppliers' responsibilities to consumers. Executive Decree No. 24 also provides provisions applicable to technological storage services and commercial services through the Internet.

Panama has signed but not ratified the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts.