Database

Browse Database

CONGO

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
The Republic of Congo has not appended the World Trade Organization (WTO) Telecom Reference Paper to its schedule of commitments.
Coverage Telecommunications sector

CONGO

N/A

Pillar Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in sectors relevant to digital trade  |  Indicator Nationality/residency requirement for directors or managers
Residency requirement
It is reported that Congolese law requires foreign companies to hire a general manager who is a resident of the Republic of Congo. Establishing an office usually requires a local lawyer or a local representative of an international law firm to make sure that the company’s bylaws respect the Congolese standard business code.
Coverage Horizontal

CONGO

N/A

Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition  |  Indicator Presence of an independent telecom authority
Presence of independent telecom authority
It is reported that the Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARPCE), 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

CONGO

Since November 2001

Pillar Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in sectors relevant to digital trade  |  Indicator Nationality/residency requirement for directors or managers
Law No. 8-2001 on Freedom of Information and Communication (Loi No. 8-2001 Sur la Liberté d'Information et de la Communication)
Art. 38 of Law No. 8-2001 mandates a residency requirement for the publication director of the newspapers, also online.
Coverage Newspapers, including online

CONGO

N/A

Pillar Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in sectors relevant to digital trade  |  Indicator Screening of investment and acquisitions
Minimum capital requirement to obtain a license
It is reported that different minimum capital requirements are established to obtain different types of telecom licenses:
- 10.000.000.000 F.CFA for 3G and 4G (approx. USD 15,196,000);
- 11.000.000.000 F.CFA for 2G (approx. USD 16,716,000).
Coverage Telecommunications sector

CONGO

Since February 1999, entry into force in February 2002, last amended in December 2015
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)
According to the Bangui Agreement, ratified by 17 French-speaking States, including the Republic of Congo, 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

CONGO

Since January 1978

Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)  |  Indicator Participation in the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
The Republic of Congo is a party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
Coverage Horizontal
"SELECT DISTINCT(post_id) FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'score' AND\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'country' AND meta_value = 'CG')\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAND (\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'subchapter' AND meta_value = '1.1') OR\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'subchapter' AND meta_value = '1.2') OR\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'subchapter' AND meta_value = '1.3')\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t)"
[{"post_id":"98616"},{"post_id":"98617"},{"post_id":"98618"}]
"SELECT meta_value FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'impact' AND\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'country' AND meta_value = 'CG')\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAND (\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'subchapter' AND meta_value = '1.1') OR\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'subchapter' AND meta_value = '1.2')\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t)"
"SELECT meta_value FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'score' AND\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'country' AND meta_value = 'CG')\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAND (\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'subchapter' AND meta_value = '1.3')\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t)"
ITA: [{"meta_value":"1.00"}]

CONGO

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)
14.32%
Coverage rate of zero-tariffs on ICT goods (%)
1.76%
Coverage: ICT goods

CONGO

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 Information Technology Agreement (ITA) and in ITA Expansion Agreement (ITA II)
The Republic of Congo is not a signatory of the 1996 World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) nor the 2015 expansion (ITA II).
Coverage ICT goods

CONGO

Since May 2009

Pillar Public procurement of ICT goods and online services  |  Indicator Other limitations on foreign participation in public procurement
Decree No. 2009-162 (Décret No. 2009-162)
According to Art. 11 of Decree No. 2009-162, public contracts for the supply of goods or services should be open to international competitive bidding only when they have a value greater than or equal to CFAF 500 million (approx. USD 820,000).
Coverage Horizontal

CONGO

Since May 2009

Pillar Public procurement of ICT goods and online services  |  Indicator Other limitations on foreign participation in public procurement
Decree No. 2009-156 Enacting the Government Procurement Code (Décret No. 2009-156 portant code des marchés publics)
Art. 62 of the Government Procurement Code permits the preferential treatment of Congolese businesses if provided for in the tender documents. It allows domestic bidders' offers to be reduced by up to 15%. In addition, as part of the evaluation of the tenders, bids from candidates based in the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) zone have a 10-point advantage.
Coverage Horizontal

CONGO

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)
The Republic of Congo is not a party to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) nor does it have observer status.
Coverage Horizontal

CONGO

Since November 2001

Pillar Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in sectors relevant to digital trade  |  Indicator Maximum foreign equity share
Law No. 8-2001 on Freedom of Information and Communication (Loi No. 8-2001 Sur la Liberté d'Information et de la Communication)
According to Art. 52 of Law No. 8-2001, when a press publishing company is incorporated, the majority of shares (that is 51%) are reserved for Congolese citizens. This applies also to online newspapers.
Coverage Newspapers, including online

COMOROS

N/A

Pillar Online sales and transactions  |  Indicator Framework for consumer protection applicable to online commerce
Lack of comprehensive consumer protection law applicable to online commerce
Comoros lacks a comprehensive framework for consumer protection that applies to online transactions.
Coverage Horizontal

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