SURINAME
Since September 2017
Pillar Online sales and transactions |
Indicator UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce
Electronic Legal Transactions Act 2017 (Wet Elektronisch Rechtsverkeer 2017)
Suriname enacted the Electronic Transactions Act, drawing upon the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce.
Coverage Horizontal
SURINAME
N/A
Pillar Online sales and transactions |
Indicator UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Signatures
Lack of adoption of UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Signatures
Suriname has not adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Signatures.
Coverage Horizontal
SURINAME
Reported in 2022, last reported in 2025
Pillar Online sales and transactions |
Indicator Restrictions on online payments
Restrictions for imports and exports
It is reported that in February 2021, the Foreign Exchange Commission implemented measures concerning exchange rate policy. These include a requirement for exporters to repatriate earned export revenues to Suriname, necessitating that buyers abroad make payments through a Surinamese commercial bank. Additionally, exporters and foreign exchange offices are mandated to convert 30% of their foreign currency income into Surinamese Dollars (SRD). For imports, the new regulations stipulate that payments must also be made through Surinamese commercial banks.
Coverage Imports and exports
SURINAME
N/A
Pillar Online sales and transactions |
Indicator Threshold for ‘De Minimis’ rule
Lack of de minimis threshold
Suriname does not implement any de minimis threshold, which is the minimum value of goods below which customs do not charge duties.
Coverage Horizontal
SURINAME
N/A
Pillar Domestic data policies |
Indicator Framework for data protection
Lack of comprehensive legal framework for data protection
Suriname does not have a comprehensive data protection regime in place. Art. 17 of the Constitution of the Republic of Suriname 1987 provides the baseline for the implementation of a more specific framework, as it states that everyone has a right to respect their privacy. Moreover, the Electronic Legal Transactions Act, specifically Arts. 54, 72-74 establishes a framework for the management of personal identification data collected by service providers, including governmental entities, in the context of electronic transactions.
Coverage Horizontal
SURINAME
Since September 2017
Pillar Intermediary liability |
Indicator Safe harbour for intermediaries for copyright infringement
Electronic Legal Transactions Act 2017 (Wet Elektronisch Rechtsverkeer 2017)
The Electronic Legal Transactions Act 2017 establishes a safe harbour regime for intermediaries for copyright infringements.
According to Art. 44.2, an intermediary or provider shall not be liable to third parties, including those on whose behalf it provides services in respect of information contained in a data message or electronic record, for actions which, in the exercise of the powers provided for in this Article, it takes in good faith. In addition, under Art. 44.1, if an intermediary or provider has acquired actual knowledge of information or a record in electronic form or of a data message that could give rise to civil or criminal liability, it shall remove the relevant information from public access and secure it in any information system as soon as practicable after becoming aware of it. Furthermore, according to Art. 45, an intermediary or provider who only provides a transmission line for data messages, recordings or information in electronic form shall not be liable for the content of such data messages, recordings, or information if the intermediary or provider has no actual knowledge of the material on the network.
According to Art. 44.2, an intermediary or provider shall not be liable to third parties, including those on whose behalf it provides services in respect of information contained in a data message or electronic record, for actions which, in the exercise of the powers provided for in this Article, it takes in good faith. In addition, under Art. 44.1, if an intermediary or provider has acquired actual knowledge of information or a record in electronic form or of a data message that could give rise to civil or criminal liability, it shall remove the relevant information from public access and secure it in any information system as soon as practicable after becoming aware of it. Furthermore, according to Art. 45, an intermediary or provider who only provides a transmission line for data messages, recordings or information in electronic form shall not be liable for the content of such data messages, recordings, or information if the intermediary or provider has no actual knowledge of the material on the network.
Coverage Internet intermediaries
SURINAME
Since September 2017
Pillar Intermediary liability |
Indicator Safe harbour for intermediaries for any activity other than copyright infringement
Electronic Legal Transactions Act 2017 (Wet Elektronisch Rechtsverkeer 2017)
The Electronic Legal Transactions Act 2017 establishes a safe harbour regime for intermediaries beyond copyright infringements. According to Art. 44.2, an intermediary or provider shall not be liable to third parties, including those on whose behalf it provides services in respect of information contained in a data message or electronic record, for actions which, in the exercise of the powers provided for in this Article, it takes in good faith. In addition, under Art. 44.1, if an intermediary or provider has acquired actual knowledge of information or a record in electronic form or of a data message that could give rise to civil or criminal liability, it shall remove the relevant information from public access and secure it in any information system as soon as practicable after becoming aware of it. Furthermore, according to Art. 45, an intermediary or provider who only provides a transmission line for data messages, recordings or information in electronic form shall not be liable for the content of such data messages, recordings, or information if the intermediary or provider has no actual knowledge of the material on the network.
Coverage Internet intermediaries
SURINAME
Since March 2007
Pillar Intermediary liability |
Indicator User identity requirement
State Decree of 10 March 2007 implementing Article 28 of the Telecommunications Facilities Act - Numbering Plan Decree (TAATSBESLUIT van 10 maart 2007 ter uitvoering van artikel 28 van de Wet Telecommunicatievoorzieningen - Besluit Nummerplan)
In accordance with the provisions delineated within the Numbering Plan Decree, any individual seeking possession of a SIM card must duly furnish authentic and current forms of identification at the juncture of said acquisition. For non-native citizens, the acceptable form of identification is a valid passport.
Coverage Telecommunications sector
SURINAME
Since March 2007
Pillar Technical standards applied to ICT goods and online services |
Indicator Self-certification for product safety
Low Power Equipment Decree (Besluit Laag Vermogen Apparatuur 2007)
According to Arts. 2-4 of the Low Power Equipment Decree, the Telecommunications Authority of Suriname (TAS) is responsible for issuing permits to have, construct, use, exploit and transmit electronic equipment. However, the Conformity Assessment Systems in the Republic of Suriname recognise both European (EU) and American (FCC) Standards, in accordance with ISO/IEC 17050-1:2004, to facilitate easy market access. It is reported that the homologation procedure in Suriname requires neither local laboratory testing nor contact with a local representative, and no additional requirements concerning product labelling have been established by law.
According to the Directive for the certification of radio devices, the following reports must be submitted to proceed with the application for a license to the TAS (Telecommunication Authority of Suriname): RF test report and EMC test.
According to the Directive for the certification of radio devices, the following reports must be submitted to proceed with the application for a license to the TAS (Telecommunication Authority of Suriname): RF test report and EMC test.
Coverage Electronic products
Sources
- https://web.archive.org/web/20201029160005/https://www.tas.sr/media/1098/sbno29.pdf
- https://web.archive.org/web/20230327190702/https://ib-lenhardt.com/type-approval/suriname
- https://web.archive.org/web/20200923165633/https://www.certvalue.com/iso-certification-in-suriname/
- https://web.archive.org/web/20210518232753/https://www.tas.sr/media/1167/procedure-type-approval-eng.pdf
- Show more...
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
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
