In November 2021, The European Commission imposed a definitive anti-dumping duty under the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2011 on imports of optical fibre cables (CN code ex: 8544 70 00) from China. The original duty of 44% was amended in January 2022 by the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/72, establishing a duty on imports of 33.7%, applicable until November 2026.

In January 2022, the European Commission imposed a countervailing duty under the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/72 for imports of optical fibre cables (CN code ex: 8544 70 00) from China. The rate of duty on imports from China is 10.3%, applicable until January 2027.

The European Union is a signatory of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) of 1996 and its 2015 expansion (ITA II).

It is reported that importers face difficulty in obtaining foreign exchange, particularly those that import goods for domestic sale. The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) administers a strict foreign currency regulatory regime. Furthermore, while larger firms, state-owned enterprises, and manufacturing industries are reported to have not faced major problems in obtaining foreign exchange, the remaining firms face burdensome delays in arranging trade-related payments. An importer must apply for an import permit and obtain a letter of credit for the total value of the imports before an order can be placed.

It is reported that the national standards for payment security deviate from international standards as there is no clearly prescribed standard that financial institutions need to apply. The laws that regulate the banking or payment systems in Ethiopia do not refer to international standards such as ISO/IEC, EMV, payment tokens or 3D Secure. Furthermore, neither the National Digital Payment Strategy nor the Revised Bank Risk Management Guideline of the National Bank of Ethiopia explicitly states that the above-mentioned international standards are applied locally.

It is reported that the de minimis threshold, that is the minimum value of goods below which customs do not charge duties, is USD 25, below the 200 USD threshold recommended by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

According to Art. 82.1 of the Commercial Code No. 1243/2021 and Art. 22.1 of the Commercial Registration & Licensing Proclamation No. 980/2016, any Ethiopian or foreign person or company carrying out commercial activities within Ethiopia shall be registered and then licensed in the country. In addition, according to Art. 40 of the Commercial Registration and Licensing Proclamation No. 980/2016, any foreign chamber of commerce may open its branch office in Ethiopia upon presenting a certificate of legal personality issued in the country of registration, memorandum, and article of association submitted there and their detailed activities in Ethiopia and upon approval getting registered with the Ministry. However, foreign investors who invest in Ethiopia and from an association, that association shall be registered by the authority that is legally established to administer investment at the federal level.

Ethiopia lacks a comprehesive framework for consumer protection that applies to online transactions.

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

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

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

Proclamation 808/2013 mandates the Information Network Security Agency (INSA) to control the import and export of information technologies, build an IT testing and evaluation laboratory centre and regulate cryptographic products and their transactions.

According to Art. 3 of the Telecom Fraud Offences Proclamation, the import, assembly, sale, manufacturing, or even use of any telecom equipment (which includes any apparatus and software used for telecom services) without a prior permit from the government is prohibited. Failure to comply with this rule is a crime punishable with imprisonment and a fine.