It is reported that foreign companies have expressed concerns about Salvadoran Government agencies not providing sufficient advance notice to foster wide participation in bidding procedures, particularly complex infrastructure works or public-private partnership projects.

It is reported that El Salvador has been operating under a State of Emergency since March 2022. Initially intended to be in effect for 30 days, the State of Emergency has been extended every month since April 2022. One consequence of the State of Emergency is that it allows the Executive branch to enter negotiations and make direct purchases of goods and services without adhering to the Public Procurement Law. Legal experts and businesses have expressed concerns that excluding purchases from bidding procedures for as long as the State of Emergency is in place will further undermine transparency.

El Salvador is not a party to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA), nor does it have observer status.

According to Art. 5 of the Investment Law, foreign investors have the same rights and obligations as Salvadoran investors and shall not be subject to unfair or discriminatory measures with respect to the establishment, administration, use, usufruct, extension, sale and liquidation of their investments.

It is reported that certain restrictions apply to micro businesses, which are defined in Art. 3 of the Law on the Promotion, Protection and Development of Micro and Small Enterprises as having 10 or fewer employees and annual sales of approximately USD 175,930 or less. Investors who start operations with 10 or fewer employees must submit plans for increasing employment to the Ministry of Economy’s National Investment Office.

El Salvador is a party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

El Salvador has a copyright regime under the Intellectual Property Law. However, the exceptions do not follow the fair use or fair dealing model, therefore limiting the lawful use of copyrighted work by others. Art. 44 lists the exceptions, which include activities carried out in family circles without lucrative purposes, of general utility, of didactic purposes, those used for people with disabilities, for commercial demonstrations, and those with charitable purposes.

El Salvador has reportedly undertaken legislative reforms that provide for greater protection and enforcement of intellectual property (IP). However, several concerns persist, including music trafficking, video piracy, and the use of unlicensed software.

Law No. 18/2018 on Promulgating Consumer Protection Act and Law No. 15/2004 on E-Signatures provide a comprehensive consumer protection framework that applies to online transactions.

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

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

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

According to Art. 17 of the Value Added Tax Law, every non-resident and an unregistered person who sells taxable goods or performs services to a person who is not registered inside the country and who does not carry out an activity through a permanent establishment in Egypt must appoint a representative or agent in Egypt.

According to Art. 59 of Law No. 180 of 2018, no media outlet or electronic site may be established, operated, or advertised before obtaining a license from the Supreme Council, which will specify the licensing requirements. Furthermore, Art. 60 requires media outlets to pay a fee of EGP 250,000 (approx. USD 16,000) to obtain a license from the SCMR and gain legal status. It is reported that "the law defines 'media outlet' very broadly, to include any social media account with at least 5,000 subscribers." The report adds that this law and other laws have been used "as grounds to expand website blocking, (which) undermines the value of Internet-based services to their customers and imposes costs on local firms that depend on these services for their business."
In addition, pursuant to Art. 40, any person wishing to establish a media outlet is required to notify the Supreme Council and provide a description of the type of content, editorial policy, sources of funding, and other detailed information. According to Art. 10 of Cabinet Resolution No. 418 of 2020, the Supreme Council shall set the necessary forms for requests to establish or operate media outlets, provided that they include the name, surname, nationality, and place of residence of the owner, the outlet's name and logo, the language in which it broadcasts, type of activity, funding sources, editorial and administrative structure, statement of budget, name and address of its designated "Broadcasting Officer," and their programs' manager.