Panama has ratified the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty.

Panama has ratified the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty.

Law No. 35 establishes a framework for the protection of trade secrets. Title IV of the Industrial Property Law regulates commercial and trade secrets and provides for liability for breaches of these provisions. In addition, Title IV of Executive Decree No. 7 of 17 February 1998 further implements and elaborates the rules set out in Law No. 35.

Panama is a signatory of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) of 1996, but is not a signatory of its 2015 expansion (ITA II).

Under Art. 13 of Law No. 22, when selecting contractors for the acquisition of goods and services, contracting entities in Panama are required to first consider the feasibility, availability, and quality of goods and services produced within the country. According to Art. 7 of Executive Decree No. 439, foreign companies wishing to participate in these selection procedures must reference any international agreements or treaties on reciprocity between their home country and Panama. Additionally, when contracting for goods and services, the tender documents must specify that the goods and services must be of national origin, production, manufacturing, or provision.

Art. 10 of Law No. 22 provides that the State must promote the competitive participation of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in certain acts of contractor selection carried out by public institutions. Art. 88 of Executive Decree No. 439 further elaborates on the provision mentioned above, stating that in the case of minor procurement acts, the entity must select the proposal submitted by the micro or small enterprises, provided that it complies with the requirements and demands of the tender documents and the proposed price is not greater than 5 % in relation to the lowest price proposal submitted by another type of enterprise.

It is reported that transparency and accountability deficits persist in Panama’s government procurement practices. In 2020, Panama adopted Law 153 with the stated objective of modernising the public procurement framework and strengthening transparency. However, reported enforcement has remained uneven. A recurrent concern for foreign firms contracting with the Panamanian government is the delayed settlement of payments to suppliers and contractors. Investors also point to opaque procurement procedures, including instances where tender requirements are modified during the process, which raises concerns that bids may be structured to favour particular firms.
In addition, investors report corruption risks across levels of government and within the private sector, including alleged requests for kickbacks and the inflation of contract values by officials and intermediaries. Reports also allege that judges, mayors, legislators, and local officials have accepted bribes in connection with land titling and favourable rulings. Permitting and titling procedures are further described as lacking transparency, with civil servants allegedly soliciting payments at multiple stages.

Panama 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 1997.

There are no foreign ownership limitations in sectors relevant to digital trade.

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

The State of Palestine has not adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce. Nonetheless, electronic commerce is regulated under Decree-Law No. 15 of 2017 AD on Electronic Transactions and the Electronic Transactions and Trust Services Law of 2024.

The State of Palestine has not adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Signatures. Nonetheless, electronic signatures are regulated under Decree-Law No. 15 of 2017 AD on Electronic Transactions and the Electronic Transactions and Trust Services Law of 2024.

The State of Palestine lacks a comprehensive framework for consumer protection that applies to online transactions.

According to Art. 39 of Decree No. 10 of 2018 on Cybercrime, investigative and enforcement authorities that detect hosted websites (inside or outside the State) disseminating content deemed to threaten national security, public order or public morals may request the Attorney General’s authorisation to block such websites or specific links. The court must decide on the request on the same day it is submitted, and any blocking order may not exceed six months, unless renewed in accordance with the same procedure.
It is reported that the Cybercrime Law provides for substantial fines and lengthy prison terms for broadly defined offences, including the publication or dissemination of material considered critical of the State, disruptive of public order or national unity, or harmful to family and religious values. Art. 39 of the Law has reportedly been applied in practice to order the blocking of news and media outlets, including 59 media sites and social media pages such as Shehab News Agency, Quds Network, Ultra Palestine, Arab 48, PalAbroad and Al-Majd, some of which operate primarily via Facebook rather than dedicated websites. It remains unclear whether these websites and social media pages are still blocked in the country.