São Tomé e Príncipe has not joined any agreement with binding commitments to open transfers of data across borders.

Art. 28 of Law No. 4/2001 and Art. 3 of Decree-Law No. 23/2016 establish that legal and procedural actions related to industrial property can only be filed with the National Service of Intellectual Property and Quality of São Tomé e Príncipe (SENAPIQ-STP) and that natural or legal persons who are not established or domiciled in São Tomé e Príncipe must appoint an industrial property agent with residence in São Tomé e Príncipe to represent them. This is also applicable to the filing of patent applications.

São Tomé e Príncipe is not a signatory of the 1996 World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA I) nor the 2015 expansion (ITA II). In fact, São Tomé e Príncipe is not a member of the WTO, although it is an observer.

According to Art. 43 of Law No. 8/2009, domestic preference margins may be applied in international public tenders, allowing up to 7.5% for works and up to 10% for goods and services produced in São Tomé e Príncipe.

São Tomé e Príncipe is not a party to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA), nor does it have observer status. In fact, São Tomé e Príncipe is not a member of the WTO, although it is an observer.

Art. 13 of Law No. 2/93 states that journalistic companies with a profit motive, based in the country and subject only to São Toméan law, may have foreign capital participation up to 25% and without voting rights. This includes online newspapers. In fact, Art. 10 defines journalistic companies as those whose main purpose is the collection, processing and dissemination of news, comments and images intended for publication in the periodical press.

Art. 14.1 of Law No. 2/93 requires that directors and managers of journalistic companies must be nationals or natural persons in full possession of their civil rights and resident in the country. This includes online newspapers. In fact, Art. 10 defines journalistic companies as those whose main purpose is the collection, processing and dissemination of news, comments and images intended for publication in the periodical press.

In accordance with Arts. 27, 28 and 29 of Decree-Law No. 19/2016, all inbound investment proposals must be screened and approved by the applicable ministry for the economic sector in coordination with the Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (APCI). Following Art. 14, an investment proposal can be rejected if it threatens national security, public health, or ecological equilibrium and if the proposal has a negative effect or insufficient contribution to the country’s economy. The government encourages but does not require the hiring of the local workforce.

Pursuant to Schedule 3 of the Customs (Management and Control) Act, the importation of radio and television transmitting equipment, including walkie-talkies, is prohibited unless authorised under a licence issued by the Minister of Communications.

The Act No. 5 of 1968 - External Trade Act grants the Minister authority, under Art. 5, to regulate the export of goods through orders published in the Gazette. These orders may prohibit exports without a licence, impose restrictions, or set conditions for exportation. Such orders take effect upon publication and automatically cancel previously issued licences, requiring the Permanent Secretary to issue new licences in compliance with the updated provisions.
Art. 6 empowers the Permanent Secretary to issue licences for export-restricted goods, provided the export does not undermine any trade agreements or arrangements related to internal or external trade or currency approved by the Government. Licences are denied if the export poses risks to these agreements or arrangements.
As of 2023, these requirements only apply to radio and television transmitting equipment, whose exports are allowed only with a licence from the Minister of Communications.

According to Art. 4 of the Statutory Instrument 10/2002, the equipment mentioned in Art. 4.2 must receive a type approval certificate from the regulatory authority. This includes cellular telephones, cordless telephones, fax machines, GSM machines, mobile radios, modems, wireless remote devices, PABXs, pagers, radio receivers and transmitters, satellite earth stations, telecommunications switching equipment, telephone instruments, telex equipment, other equipment emitting a radio signal and any other customer premise equipment to be attached to any part of a licensed telecommunications network.
According to the Caribbean Cooperation for Accreditation (CCA) standards, foreign businesses must pass an accreditation by accredited laboratories that have Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) with counterpart bodies. Test results from accredited laboratories, which are parties to a given MRA, are automatically accepted. The CCA is based on principles of cooperation and collaboration among the recognised National Accreditation Bodies (NABs).

Saint Lucia does not implement any de minimis threshold, which is the minimum value of goods below which customs do not charge duties.

The Consumer Protection Act provides a comprehensive framework for consumer protection that also applies to online transactions.