According to the Art. 78 of Decree No. 12-99, industrial secrets are protected against disclosure. However, the state authority may require disclosure when necessary to protect the public, provided that the data or information is protected against unfair commercial use by third parties.

Honduras is a signatory of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) of 1996, but is not a signatory of its 2015 expansion (ITA II).

The Industrial Property Law, together with the Criminal Code, establishes a framework for the protection and enforcement of trade secrets. Chapter III of the Industrial Property Law (Arts. 73–78) regulates industrial secrets and confidential regulatory data. Arts. 73–74 define an industrial secret as undisclosed information with productive, industrial, or commercial value that is not generally known or readily accessible, and reasonable confidentiality measures protect it. Arts. 75–76 grant the holder the right to seek relief against unauthorised use, disclosure or acquisition, including where the secret is obtained through illicit or disloyal means.
In addition, Arts. 163 and 165 of the Industrial Property Law set out the civil actions and measures available to prevent and remedy infringements of trade secrets, while Art. 395 of the Criminal Code provides for criminal sanctions, including imprisonment and fines, for the unlawful acquisition of commercial secrets.

Under Arts. 7 and 21 of Decree No. 74-2001, potential bidders meeting the applicable legal and regulatory requirements may participate on equal terms, subject to reciprocity. However, foreign suppliers may submit bids directly from abroad only where this is exceptionally authorised. In other cases, they must participate through an agent, representative, or distributor established under Honduran law.
Art. 42 further limits international competitive bidding to cases where technical requirements or other justified circumstances require the participation of foreign contractors. Art. 26 of Executive Agreement No. 055-2002 confirms that direct bidding by foreign suppliers without a local branch or authorised agent is permitted only in urgent or emergency situations and where the supplier has specialised technical qualifications, including for highly specialised spare parts, maintenance, or scientific and technical services.

Art. 13.9 of the Framework Law for the Telecommunications Sector (Decree No. 185-95) requires telecommunications operators and telecommunications network providers to provide access, on equal terms, to other operators and users in the same or similar circumstances. In 2002, the General Regulation of the Framework Law for the Telecommunications Sector further established the obligation to grant access to both passive and active infrastructure (Art. 186). In 2014, Art. 6 of Resolution No. 016/14 of CONATEL imposes an infrastructure-sharing obligation. The 2022 Network Access and Network Sharing Regulation consolidates and updates the provisions mentioned above.

Art. 53 of the State Contracting Law and Art. 128 of its Regulation stipulate that when foreign entities participate in procurement processes, Honduras applies price preferences in favour of Honduran suppliers. For goods and services, applicable tariffs or other charges are added to the price. If the goods or services are exempt from such charges, 15% is added to the price. These preferences apply to goods with at least 40% domestic content in the final price.

Under Art. 26 of the Framework Law on the Telecommunications Sector, foreign investment is permitted in public telecommunications services, but direct participation by foreign State-owned enterprises is not allowed. In addition, HONDUTEL remains a 100% State-owned enterprise and the only provider of international long-distance fixed telephony services, although sub-operators have been allowed to offer those services since 2010.

Art. 149 of the State Contracting Law, Decree No. 74-2001, provides that, where required in the tender documents or terms of reference for reasons of public interest, foreign companies must involve Honduran companies in the performance of activities or services to be carried out in Honduras. Art. 150 further requires officials involved in bidder prequalification or consultancy selection to seek greater participation and responsibility for Honduran professionals in order to facilitate technology transfer. Under Art. 151, consultancy contracts entered into by foreign companies must be performed in Honduras, with national personnel participating as specified in the terms of reference.

The Honduran Telecommunications Company (HONDUTEL) is a wholly state-owned enterprise.

According to Art. 25 of Decree No. 135-2008, the general State budget must provide for 30% MSME participation in state purchases (goods, services and works). In addition, Art. 137 of Decree No. 4-2025 mandates the Secretariat of State for Transparency and Anti-Corruption, through the Office of State Contracting and Procurement (ONCAE), to promote a public procurement regulatory framework that encourages the participation of at least 30% of enterprises owned by women and by excluded groups, including MSMEs, social economy enterprises and organisations representing persons with disabilities.

Honduras mandates functional and accounting separation for operators with significant market power (SMP) in the telecom market. Functional separation is found in the Law for the Defence and Promotion of Competition, which applies to all areas of economic activity, and in the General Regulations of the Framework Law for the Telecommunications Sector.

It has been reported since 2012 that winning contracts with the Honduran government can be challenging, even for large companies. Foreign firms have complained of mismanagement, bureaucratic delays, inadequate notification procedures, excessive government direct contracting and a lack of transparency in the bidding process. More recent reports have continued to identify corruption in government procurement and contracts awarded directly to politically connected companies rather than through fair and transparent tendering procedures.

Honduras has appended the World Trade Organization (WTO) Telecom Reference Paper to its schedule of commitments.

It is reported that the type approval procedure in Haiti is administered by the Conseil National des Télécommunications (CONATEL). All new models of telecommunications equipment intended for use in the national territory, as well as imported telecommunications equipment, are subject to CONATEL’s type approval and related inspection and registration controls, which cover products using radio-frequency and cellular technologies.
The type approval process reportedly comprises the following steps: (1) submission of an application to CONATEL together with the required documentation and technical specifications for the device; (2) payment of the applicable type approval fees; (3) provision of conformity evidence, commonly including EU/FCC technical documentation (TCF) and accredited test reports, and, where requested, submission of a product sample for verification; (4) completion of the authority’s technical assessment and issuance of a positive conformity outcome; and (5) registration of the device with CONATEL and issuance of the type approval (homologation) certificate, enabling the importation, use, and sale of the device in Haiti.

Under Arts. Under 200–201 and 206 of the 1987 Customs Code, small packets sent through the letter post are exempt from customs duties and taxes only if the value of the goods does not exceed HTG 100 (approx. USD 1). Small packets above this threshold are subject to customs clearance and the applicable duties and taxes.