CAMEROON
Since December 2006
Pillar Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in sectors relevant to digital trade |
Indicator Nationality/residency requirement for directors or managers
Law No. 2006/018 of 29 December 2006 to regulate advertising in Cameroon (Loi No. 2006/018 du 29 décembre 2006 régissant la publicité au Cameroun)
According to Art. 6 of Law No. 2006/018, any advertising company must have a principal officer (i.e. the person managing the enterprise and representing the latter in all acts of civil life) who is a Cameroonian national or, failing that, show proof of having fulfilled the conditions for foreigners to engage in commercial activities in Cameroon. This also applies to online advertising.
Coverage Advertising sector
CAMEROON
Since February 1999, entry into force in February 2002, last amended in December 2015
Since December 2019, entry into force in March 2020
Since December 2019, entry into force in March 2020
Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) |
Indicator Practical or legal restrictions related to the application process for patents
Bangui Agreement Relating to the Creation of an African Intellectual Property Organization, Constituting a Revision of the Agreement Relating to the Creation of an African and Malagasy Office of Industrial Property (Bangui (Central African Republic), 2 March 1977) (Accord de Bangui relatif à la création d'une organization Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle, constituant révision de l'Accord relatif à la création d'un Office Africain et Malgache de la Propriété Industrielle (Bangui (République centrafricaine), le 2 mars 1977)
Regulations on the profession of Authorised Agent before the African Intellectual Property Organization (Règlement sur la profession de Mandataire agréé auprès de l'organization Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle)
Regulations on the profession of Authorised Agent before the African Intellectual Property Organization (Règlement sur la profession de Mandataire agréé auprès de l'organization Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle)
According to the Bangui Agreement, ratified by 17 French-speaking States, including Cameroon, applicants resident outside the territory of the member States must file through an agent selected in one of those member States (Section III, Art. 8). The professional status of agent accredited to the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) is governed by the Regulations on the profession of Authorised Agent before the OAPI.
Coverage Horizontal
Sources
- https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/text/582620
- https://web.archive.org/web/20230323192022/http://www.oapi.int/Ressources/reglement_mandataire/REGLEMENT_PROFESSION_MANDATAIRE.pdf
- https://web.archive.org/web/20220120063358/http://www.droit-afrique.com/upload/doc/oapi/OAPI-Guide-depot-brevet.pdf
- https://web.archive.org/web/20240123201653/https://pctlegal.wipo.int/eGuide/view-doc.xhtml?doc-code=CM&doc-lang=en#GENERAL%20INFO
- Show more...
CAMEROON
Since January 1978
Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) |
Indicator Participation in the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
Cameroon is a party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
Coverage Horizontal
CAMEROON
Since December 2000
Since March 1977, as amended in December 2015, entry into force in November 2020
Since March 1977, as amended in December 2015, entry into force in November 2020
Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) |
Indicator Copyright law with clear exceptions
Law No. 2000/011 of 19 December 2000 on Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Loi No. 2000/011 du 19 décembre 2000 relative au droit d'auteur et aux droits voisins)
Bangui Agreement Relating to the Creation of an African Intellectual Property Organization, Constituting a Revision of the Agreement Relating to the Creation of an African and Malagasy Office of Industrial Property (Bangui (Central African Republic), 2 March 1977) (Accord de Bangui relatif à la création d'une organization Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle, constituant révision de l'Accord relatif à la création d'un Office Africain et Malgache de la Propriété Industrielle (Bangui (République centrafricaine), le 2 mars 1977)
Bangui Agreement Relating to the Creation of an African Intellectual Property Organization, Constituting a Revision of the Agreement Relating to the Creation of an African and Malagasy Office of Industrial Property (Bangui (Central African Republic), 2 March 1977) (Accord de Bangui relatif à la création d'une organization Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle, constituant révision de l'Accord relatif à la création d'un Office Africain et Malgache de la Propriété Industrielle (Bangui (République centrafricaine), le 2 mars 1977)
Cameroon has a copyright regime under the law Law No. 2000/011 of 19 December 2000 on Copyright and Neighbouring Rights. However, the exceptions do not follow the fair use or fair dealing model, therefore limiting the lawful use of copyrighted work by others. Art. 29 outlines the exceptions, including private performances strictly within family circles, performances given free of charge for educational and academic purposes, and reproductions and transformations in one copy for the strictly personal and private use of the individual who makes them.
In addition, the Revised Bangui Agreement, which is a regional intellectual property law that is not only a regional convention applicable in all member states but also serves as a national intellectual property law in Cameroon and each of the other member states, contains provisions on copyright in Annex VII: Chapter IV (Limitations to Economic Rights). Although the Agreement establishes a set of copyright exceptions, these do not adhere to the fair use or fair dealing models.
In addition, the Revised Bangui Agreement, which is a regional intellectual property law that is not only a regional convention applicable in all member states but also serves as a national intellectual property law in Cameroon and each of the other member states, contains provisions on copyright in Annex VII: Chapter IV (Limitations to Economic Rights). Although the Agreement establishes a set of copyright exceptions, these do not adhere to the fair use or fair dealing models.
Coverage Horizontal
CAMEROON
N/A
Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) |
Indicator Adoption of the WIPO Copyright Treaty
Lack of signature of the WIPO Copyright Treaty
Cameroon has not signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty.
Coverage Horizontal
CAMEROON
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
Cameroon has not signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty.
Coverage Horizontal
CAMEROON
N/A
Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) |
Indicator Effective protection covering trade secrets
Lack of comprehensive trade secret regime
Cameroon lacks a comprehensive framework in place that provides effective protection of trade secrets, but there are provisions addressing disclosure, acquisition or use of confidential information in the course of industrial or commercial activities by third parties in Art. 6 of Annex VIII of the Bangui Agreement ratified by 17 French-speaking States, including Cameroon since 2002.
Coverage Horizontal
CAMEROON
N/A
Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition |
Indicator Passive infrastructure sharing obligation
Requirement of passive infrastructure sharing
It is reported that there is an obligation for passive infrastructure sharing in Cameroon to deliver telecom services to end users. Moreover, passive infrastructure sharing is practised in the mobile and fixed sectors based on commercial agreements.
Coverage Telecommunications sector
CAMEROON
N/A
Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition |
Indicator Presence of shares owned by the government in telecom companies
Presence of shares owned by the government in the telecom sector
The incumbent telecom provider, CAMTEL, is a fully state-owned enterprise.
Coverage Telecommunications sector
CAMEROON
N/A
Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition |
Indicator Functional/accounting separation for operators with significant market power
Lack of mandatory functional and accounting separation for dominant network operators
It is reported that Cameroon does not mandate functional separation for operators with significant market power (SMP) in the telecom market. However, there has been an obligation of accounting separation since 2015.
Coverage Telecommunications sector
CAMEROON
N/A
Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition |
Indicator Signature of the WTO Telecom Reference Paper
Lack of appendment of WTO Telecom Reference Paper to schedule of commitments
Cameroon has not appended the World Trade Organization (WTO) Telecom Reference Paper to its schedule of commitments.
Coverage Telecommunications sector
CAMEROON
Reported in 2015, last reported in 2023
Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition |
Indicator Presence of an independent telecom authority
Presence of an independent telecom authority
It is reported that the "Agence de Régulation des Télécommunications" (ART), the executive authority for the supervision and administration of services in the telecommunications sector, is independent from the government in the decision-making process.
Coverage Telecommunications sector
CAMEROON
Since December 2024
Pillar Cross-border data policies |
Indicator Ban to transfer and local processing requirement
Law No. 2024/017 of 23 December 2024 relating to personal data protection in Cameroon
Under Art. 32 of Law No. 2024/017, the transfer of personal data to a foreign country or an international organisation is contingent upon obtaining prior authorisation from the personal data protection authority (DPA), under conditions that ensure the safeguarding of the data subject’s rights. Before granting such authorisation, the DPA must first verify that:
- the recipient country provides an adequate level of data protection;
- a legal instrument governing the transfer of personal data has entered into force in advance, following coordination with the relevant authorities and bodies;
- the entity importing the personal data is subject to binding security regulations for the protection of such data; and
- the importing and exporting entities have previously subscribed to standard contractual clauses concerning the international transfer of personal data, as drafted and published by the DPA.
- the recipient country provides an adequate level of data protection;
- a legal instrument governing the transfer of personal data has entered into force in advance, following coordination with the relevant authorities and bodies;
- the entity importing the personal data is subject to binding security regulations for the protection of such data; and
- the importing and exporting entities have previously subscribed to standard contractual clauses concerning the international transfer of personal data, as drafted and published by the DPA.
Coverage Horizontal
CAMEROON
N/A
Pillar Public procurement of ICT goods and online services |
Indicator Signatory of the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) with coverage of the most relevant services sectors (CPC 752, 754, 84)
Lack of participation in the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA)
Cameroon 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 2001.
Coverage Horizontal
CAMEROON
Since April 2002
Pillar Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in sectors relevant to digital trade |
Indicator Maximum foreign equity share
Law No. 2002/004, Investment Charter (Loi No. 2002/004 du 19 avril 2002 portant Charte des Investissements)
Law No. 2002/004 sets the main legal regime for investment in Cameroon. There are no limits on foreign ownership in any specific sector.
Coverage Horizontal
