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

Yemen has not adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce.

It is reported that the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology (MoTIT) requires foreign test reports, including electromagnetic compatibility results such as CE reports, as part of its mandatory type-approval process for products entering the Yemeni market and complying with local telecommunications and safety requirements. Approval is based on the review of these foreign test reports, and Yemen is understood to accept documentation demonstrating compliance with the EU Radio Equipment Directive, together with CE declarations of conformity, as sufficient evidence. Although a declaration of conformity must be submitted, in-country testing is reportedly not required. The categories of devices subject to MoTIT type approval include mobile and cellular devices, mobile wireless communication equipment, radio-frequency devices, Internet of Things products, wireless-enabled consumer electronics, GPS units, wearable technologies and short-range devices. However, the specific legislative instrument containing these requirements has not been identified.

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

A basic legal framework on intermediary liability for copyright infringement is absent in Yemen's law and jurisprudence.

A basic legal framework on intermediary liability beyond copyright infringement is absent in Yemen's law and jurisprudence.

It is reported that mobile network operators are required to collect and store a user's personal information and proof of identity for SIM registration. The relevant legislation could not be found.

It is reported that access to certain news websites, VoIP services, VPNs, and social media platforms in Yemen has been restricted since 2014. Several domestic and international news outlets, including Al-Masdar Online, Khabar Agency, Mareb Press, Al-Wahdawi Net, Al-Eshteraky.Net, Al-Arabiya, Al-Jazeera, and Al-Arabi Al-Jadid, have reportedly been blocked and remain inaccessible to users in parts of the country. Moreover, Yemen has experienced recurring restrictions on social media, VPNs, and VoIP services. For instance, since 2017, WhatsApp has been intermittently blocked. Similarly, in 2022 and 2023, the state-owned telecommunications company YemenNet reportedly blocked several communication platforms, including Zoom, Google Meet, Imo, Google Duo, and Signal, thereby limiting access to online communication services.

The indicator "7.2.4 - Government Internet shut down in practice" of the V-Dem Dataset, which measures whether the government has the technical capacity to actively make internet service cease, thus interrupting domestic access to the internet or whether the government has decided to do so, has a score of 2 in Yemen for the year 2024. This corresponds to "The government shut down domestic access to the Internet several times this year".

According to Art. 3 of the Telecommunications Law No. 38 of 1991, the Ministry of Communications is mandated to license and authorise any natural or legal person to import materials and equipment used in communications networks.

According to Art. 21 of the Labour Law, the number of non-Yemeni workers hired by any employer may not exceed 10% of the total number of Yemeni employees. The Minister has the power to adjust this percentage, either upward or downward, as deemed necessary and in accordance with policies approved by the Council of Ministers.

Pursuant to Art. 3 of the Telecommunications Law No. 38 of 1991, the Ministry of Communications is responsible for licensing and authorising any natural or legal person to export materials and equipment used in communications networks.

According to Art. 19 of the Foreign Trade Law, individuals or entities engaged in export activities must hold a valid commercial registration under the export category and possess a valid membership card from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It is reported that the high costs and lengthy procedures associated with registration and export licensing impose a considerable bureaucratic burden on export-oriented businesses, particularly on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Yemen has not appended the World Trade Organization (WTO) Telecom Reference Paper to its schedule of commitments.

Yemen has a telecommunications authority, the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology (MoTIT), which, however, is not fully independent from the government in its decision-making process. Since 2014, the country has undergone an administrative division, resulting in the coexistence of two separate governing authorities. The Internationally Recognised Government (IRG) operates from Aden, while the De Facto Authorities (DFA), based in Sana’a, oversee much of northern Yemen. Both entities maintain parallel institutional structures, including ministries, regulatory bodies, and revenue systems. As a result, the telecommunications sector is now institutionally divided, with two distinct institutions.