SURINAME
Since March 1913, last amended in March 2015
Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) |
Indicator Copyright law with clear exceptions
Copyright Law 1913 (van de Wet Auteursrecht 1913)
Suriname has a copyright regime under the law Copyright Law 1913. However, the exceptions do not follow the fair use or fair dealing model, therefore limiting the lawful use of copyrighted work by others. Arts. 15bis-17 lists the exceptions, which include the use of a work if the author is mentioned in the source from which the quotation is taken; the inclusion, representation, and public communication of limited parts of a work in a photographic, cinematographic or radio report; among others.
Coverage Horizontal
SURINAME
Reported in 2017, last reported in 2025
Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) |
Indicator Enforcement of copyright online
Lack of adequate enforcement of copyright
It is reported that, although the National Assembly adopted amendments to the Music Copyright Law of 1913 in March 2015, these reforms have not been effectively enforced. As a result, infringements remain relatively common, reflecting limited enforcement capacity.
Coverage Horizontal
SURINAME
N/A
Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) |
Indicator Adoption of the WIPO Copyright Treaty
Lack of signature of the WIPO Copyright Treaty
Suriname has not signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty.
Coverage Horizontal
SURINAME
N/A
Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) |
Indicator Adoption of the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty
Lack of signature of the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty
Suriname has not signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty.
Coverage Horizontal
SURINAME
N/A
Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) |
Indicator Effective protection covering trade secrets
Lack of regulatory framework covering trade secrets
Suriname lacks a comprehensive regime for the protection of trade secrets.
Coverage Horizontal
SURINAME
N/A
Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition |
Indicator Passive infrastructure sharing obligation
Lack of obligation to share passive infrastructure
There is no obligation in the country for passive infrastructure sharing to deliver telecom services to end users, and it is not practised in either the mobile or fixed sectors.
Coverage Telecommunications sector
Sources
- https://datahub.itu.int/data/?i=100014&e=SUR
- https://web.archive.org/web/20240226033530/https://www.dna.sr/wetgeving/surinaamse-wetten/geldende-teksten-tm-2005/wet-telecommunicatievoorzieningen/
- https://web.archive.org/web/20210518224821/https://www.tas.sr/media/1105/wettelecommvt.pdf
- https://datahub.itu.int/query/
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SURINAME
Since November 2004
Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition |
Indicator Presence of shares owned by the government in telecom companies
Telecommunications Act 2004 (Wet Telecommunicatievoorzieningen 2004)
According to the Art. 2-3 (Chapter 2) of the Explanatory Memorandum of the Telecommunications Act, the government is the sole shareholder in TELESUR, one of the two telecommunications companies currently active in the country.
Coverage Telecommunications sector
SURINAME
Since March 2007
Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition |
Indicator Functional/accounting separation for operators with significant market power
Lack of mandatory functional separation for dominant network operators
It is reported that Suriname does not mandate functional separation for operators with significant market power (SMP) in the telecom market. However, operators with SMP are obligated to maintain accounting separation under Art. 18 of the Telecommunications Act (Interconnection Decree No. 25).
Coverage Telecommunications sector
SURINAME
N/A
Pillar Tariffs and trade defence measures applied on ICT goods |
Indicator Participation in the WTO Information Technology Agreement (ITA) and 2015 expansion (ITA II)
Lack of participation in the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) and in ITA Expansion Agreement (ITA II)
Suriname is not a signatory of the 1996 World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) nor the 2015 expansion (ITA II).
Coverage ICT goods
Sources
- https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/brief_ita_e.htm#:~:text=ITA%20participants%3A%20Australia%3B%20Bahrain%3B,%3B%20Jordan%3B%20Korea%2C%20Rep.
- https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/ita20years_2017_full_e.pdf
- https://web.archive.org/web/20220120054410/https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2016/april/tradoc_154430.pdf
- https://www.kommerskollegium.se/globalassets/publikationer/rapporter/2024/advancing-the-green-transition.pdf
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SURINAME
ITA signatory?
I
II
Pillar Tariffs and trade defence measures applied on ICT goods |
Indicator Effective tariff rate on ICT goods (applied weighted average)
Effective tariff rate to ICT goods (applied weighted average)
7.27%
Coverage rate of zero-tariffs on ICT goods (%)
12.07%
Coverage: ICT goods
Sources
- http://wits.worldbank.org/WITS/
- https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/brief_ita_e.htm#:~:text=ITA%20participants%3A%20Australia%3B%20Bahrain%3B,%3B%20Jordan%3B%20Korea%2C%20Rep.
- https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/ita20years_2017_full_e.pdf
- https://web.archive.org/web/20220120054410/https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2016/april/tradoc_154430.pdf
- https://www.kommerskollegium.se/globalassets/publikationer/rapporter/2024/advancing-the-green-transition.pdf
SAINT LUCIA
N/A
Pillar Online sales and transactions |
Indicator Ratification of the UN Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts
Lack of signature of the UN Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts
Saint Lucia has not signed the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts.
Coverage Horizontal
SAINT LUCIA
Since March 2011, last amended in May 2014
Pillar Online sales and transactions |
Indicator UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce
Electronic Transactions Act No. 16 of 2011
Saint Lucia enacted the Electronic Transactions Act No. 16 of 2011, drawing upon the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce.
Coverage Horizontal
SAINT LUCIA
Since March 2011, last amended in May 2014
Pillar Online sales and transactions |
Indicator UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Signatures
Electronic Transactions Act No. 16 of 2011
Saint Lucia enacted the Electronic Transactions Act No. 16 of 2011, drawing upon the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Signatures.
Coverage Horizontal
SAINT LUCIA
Since August 2007
Pillar Domestic data policies |
Indicator Minimum period for data retention
Statutory Instrument 2007, No. 148 - Telecommunications (Quality of Service) Regulations 2007
According to Art. 14 of the Telecommunications (Quality of Service) Regulations 2007, telecommunications providers shall retain quality of service data, all measurements and related records for a minimum period of 18 months after the end of the reporting period or until the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission may direct.
Coverage Telecommunications sector