The Czech Republic is a party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

The Czech Copyright Act has no general fair use/fair dealing but provides an exhaustive list of exceptions and limitations of copyright, which, in certain specific cases, allow the general public to use works without the author’s consent. Directive 2001/29/EC defines an optional but exhaustive set of limitations from the author´s exclusive rights under the control of the “three-step test” in line with the Berne Convention that establishes three cumulative conditions to the limitations and exceptions of a copyright holder’s rights. The Directive has been transposed by Member States with significant freedom.

Copyright is not adequately enforced online in the Czech Republic. While business software piracy rates are decreasing, the entertainment software industry reports that piracy for its products remains problematic, with delays in criminal enforcement proceedings. Moreover, illegal downloading of video content has been on the rise, exacerbating concerns about online copyright violations and further straining the country’s enforcement mechanisms.

The Czech Republic and the European Union have adopted the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty. The Czech Republic acceded to the Treaty on 10 October 2001, with its provisions coming into force on 6 March 2002. Subsequently, the European Union ratified the Treaty on 14 December 2009, and it entered into effect on 14 March 2010.

The Czech Republic and the European Union have adopted the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty. The Czech Republic acceded to the Treaty on 10 October 2001, with its provisions coming into force on 20 May 2002. Subsequently, the European Union ratified the Treaty on 14 December 2009, and it entered into effect on 14 March 2010.

The Directive 2016/943 on the protection of undisclosed know-how and business information (trade secrets) is key in harmonising national laws concerning trade secrets. The Czech Republic has transposed Directive (EU) 2016/943 by introducing an amendment to the Act on the Enforcement of Industrial Property Rights in December 2018.

It is reported that passive sharing is mandated in the Czech Republic, and it is practised in the mobile and fixed sectors based on commercial agreements. In addition, Directive 2014/61/EU (Art. 3.2) establishes that Member States shall ensure that, upon written request of an undertaking providing or authorised to provide public communications networks, any network operator must meet all reasonable requests for access to its physical infrastructure under fair and reasonable terms and conditions, including price, with a view to deploying elements of high-speed electronic communications networks. Such written request shall specify the elements of the project for which the access is requested, including a specific time frame.

The Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU provides an updated framework aimed at encouraging online sales. The Directive has been implemented by the Consumer Protection Law of 2021 Ν.112(Ι)/2021. The law gives the Consumer Protection Service wider authority to impose sanctions, including administrative fines, and to apply to the court for injunctions in cases of violations. The legislation consolidates the laws in relation to consumer rights, unfair commercial practices, misleading and comparative advertising, unfair terms in contracts, indication of product prices, conditions for the sale of goods at discount prices, and product guarantees.

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

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

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

The European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides a comprehensive framework for data protection that applies to all EU Member States. Cyprus implemented the GDPR by means of Law Providing for the Protection of Natural Persons with regard to the Processing of Personal Data and for the Free Movement of Such Data

Under the EU Directive on Data Retention, operators were required to retain certain categories of traffic and location data (excluding the content of those communications) for a period between six months and two years and to make them available, on request, to law enforcement authorities for the purposes of investigating, detecting and prosecuting serious crime and terrorism. On 8 April 2014, the Court of Justice of the European Union declared the Directive invalid. However, not all national laws that implemented the directive have been overturned.
Cyprus's law implementing the Directive is still in place. Specifically, according to Section 13 of Law 183(I)/2007, telecommunications services providers are obliged to retain data for a period of at least six months.