ECUADOR
Since May 2002
Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) |
Sub-pillar Adoption of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonogram Treaty
WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty
Ecuador has ratified the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty.
Coverage Horizontal
ECUADOR
Since August 2008, last amended in February 2021
Pillar Public procurement of ICT goods and online services |
Sub-pillar Other limitations on foreign participation in public procurement
Organic Law on National System of Public Procurement (Ley Orgánica Del Sistema Nacional de Contratación Pública)
Art. 25.2 of the Organic Law on National System of Public Procurement provides that the entity in charge of public procurement must include the obligation of technology and knowledge transfer in all procurements of non-Ecuadorian origin.
Coverage Horizontal
ECUADOR
Since December 2006, last amended in February 2014
Since December 2016, last amended in December 2022
Since June 2017
Since December 2016, last amended in December 2022
Since June 2017
Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) |
Sub-pillar Effective protection covering trade secrets
Intellectual Property Law (Ley de Propiedad Intelectual)
Organic Code on the Social Economy of Knowledge, Creativity and Innovation (Código Orgánico de la Economía Social de los Conocimientos, Creatividad e Innovación)
Social Economy of Knowledge Organic Code Regulation (Reglamento Código Orgánico Economía Social de los Conocimientos)
Organic Code on the Social Economy of Knowledge, Creativity and Innovation (Código Orgánico de la Economía Social de los Conocimientos, Creatividad e Innovación)
Social Economy of Knowledge Organic Code Regulation (Reglamento Código Orgánico Economía Social de los Conocimientos)
Chapter VII of the Intellectual Property Law safeguards undisclosed information, including trade secrets, industrial secrets, and other forms of confidential information, against unauthorised acquisition, use, or disclosure by third parties. Additionally, Art. 545 of the Organic Code on the Social Economy of Knowledge, Creativity, and Innovation addresses the concept of trade secrets. Furthermore, Art. 40 of the Regulation on the Social Economy of Knowledge Organic Code also references "Undisclosed Information."
Coverage Horizontal
Sources
- https://web.archive.org/web/20240908/https://lotaip.ikiam.edu.ec/ikiam2019/abril/anexos/Mat%20A2-Base_Legal/codigo_organico_de_la_economia%20social_de_los_conocimientos_creatividad_e_innovacion.pdf
- https://web.archive.org/web/20200220202632/http://www.sice.oas.org/int_prop/nat_leg/ecuador/l320g.asp
- https://web.archive.org/web/20240218023515/https://www.ces.gob.ec/lotaip/2018/Agosto/Anexos-literal-a2/REGLAMENTO%20CODIGO%20ORGANICO%20ECONOMIA%20SOCIAL.pdf
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ECUADOR
Since August 2008, last amended in February 2021
Since June 2022, entry into force in August 2022
Since June 2022, entry into force in August 2022
Pillar Public procurement of ICT goods and online services |
Sub-pillar Other limitations on foreign participation in public procurement
Organic Law on National System of Public Procurement (Ley Orgánica Del Sistema Nacional de Contratación Pública)
General Regulations to the Organic Law of the National Public Procurement System (Reglamento General a la Ley Orgánica del Sistema Nacional de Contratación Pública)
General Regulations to the Organic Law of the National Public Procurement System (Reglamento General a la Ley Orgánica del Sistema Nacional de Contratación Pública)
Art. 25.1 of the Organic Law on National System of Public Procurement provides that the tender documents must contain evaluation criteria that encourage and promote local and national participation through a margin of preference for suppliers of works, goods and services, including consultancy, of local and national origin. Art. 37 of the General Regulations to the Organic Law of the National Public Procurement System further clarifies the margins of preference.
Coverage Horizontal
Sources
- https://web.archive.org/web/20240924113233/https://portal.compraspublicas.gob.ec/sercop/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/losncp_actualizada1702.pdf
- https://web.archive.org/web/20241203195008/https://portal.compraspublicas.gob.ec/sercop/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Decreto_Ejecutivo_No._458_20220520094615-1.pdf
- https://web.archive.org/web/20221006230259/https://portal.compraspublicas.gob.ec/sercop/el-nuevo-reglamento-general-a-la-ley-organica-del-sncp-entrara-en-vigencia-a-partir-del-20-de-agosto/
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ECUADOR
Since June 2013, entry into force in June 2013, last amended in February 2019
Since September 2017
Since September 2017
Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition |
Sub-pillar Passive infrastructure sharing obligation
Organic Law on Communication (Ley Orgánica de Comunicación)
Technical Standard for Shared Use of Physical Infrastructure of the General Telecommunications Regime Services (Norma Técnica para Uso Compartido de Infraestructura Física de los Servicios del Régimen General de Telecomunicaciones)
Technical Standard for Shared Use of Physical Infrastructure of the General Telecommunications Regime Services (Norma Técnica para Uso Compartido de Infraestructura Física de los Servicios del Régimen General de Telecomunicaciones)
There is an obligation for passive infrastructure sharing in Ecuador to deliver telecom services to end users. It is practised both in the mobile and fixed sectors. The Organic Communication Law and complementary technical regulations are the theoretical frameworks for passive infrastructure sharing in Ecuador. According to Art. 3 of the Technical Standard for Shared Use of Physical Infrastructure of the General Telecommunications Regime Services, services providers related to the telecommunications sector have the obligation to share their physical infrastructure.
Coverage Telecommunications sector
Sources
- https://web.archive.org/web/20220329021715/https://www.telecomunicaciones.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2016/05/Ley-Org%C3%A1nica-de-Telecomunicaciones.pdf
- https://web.archive.org/web/20220128154018/https://www.arcotel.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2017/08/Resolucion-0807-ARCOTEL-2017.pdf
- https://datahub.itu.int/data/?i=100014
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ECUADOR
ITA signatory?
I
II
Pillar Tariffs and trade defence measures applied on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) goods |
Sub-pillar Effective tariff rate on ICT goods (applied weighted average)
Effective tariff rate to ICT goods (applied weighted average)
4.72%
Coverage rate of zero-tariffs on ICT goods (%)
66.88%
Coverage: Digital goods
Sources
- http://wits.worldbank.org/WITS/
- https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/brief_ita_e.htm#:~:text=ITA%20participants%3A%20Australia%3B%20Bahrain%3B,%3B%20Jordan%3B%20Korea%2C%20Rep.
- https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/ita20years_2017_full_e.pdf
- https://web.archive.org/web/20220120054410/https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2016/april/tradoc_154430.pdf
- https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/inftec_e/itscheds_e.htm
ECUADOR
N/A
Pillar Tariffs and trade defence measures applied on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) goods |
Sub-pillar Participation in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) and 2015 expansion (ITA II)
Lack of participation in the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) and in ITA Expansion Agreement (ITA II)
Ecuador is not a signatory of the 1996 World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) nor the 2015 expansion (ITA II).
Coverage ICT goods
Sources
- https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/brief_ita_e.htm#:~:text=ITA%20participants%3A%20Australia%3B%20Bahrain%3B,%3B%20Jordan%3B%20Korea%2C%20Rep.
- https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/ita20years_2017_full_e.pdf
- https://web.archive.org/web/20220120054410/https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2016/april/tradoc_154430.pdf
- https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/inftec_e/itscheds_e.htm
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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)
Reported in 2017
Pillar Quantitative trade restrictions for ICT goods and online services |
Sub-pillar Other import restrictions, including non-transparent/discriminatory import procedures
Discriminatory import licensing schemes
It is reported that any economic operator wishing to engage in commercial activity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including foreign trade, must:
- obtain a national identity number (IDNat) from the Ministry responsible for the national economy;
- be registered and enrolled in the Trade and Personal Property Credit Register maintained by the Ministry responsible for justice, as a company or natural person;
- be registered in the index of the National Centre for Statistics and Economic Studies; and
- obtain a unique identifier from the Directorate-General of Taxation.
To carry out import/export operations, the trader must obtain an import/export number from the Ministry responsible for trade, whose relevant services operate outside the Single Window for Business Startups. The import/export number has to be renewed annually. These conditions are the same for DRC nationals and foreigners.
- obtain a national identity number (IDNat) from the Ministry responsible for the national economy;
- be registered and enrolled in the Trade and Personal Property Credit Register maintained by the Ministry responsible for justice, as a company or natural person;
- be registered in the index of the National Centre for Statistics and Economic Studies; and
- obtain a unique identifier from the Directorate-General of Taxation.
To carry out import/export operations, the trader must obtain an import/export number from the Ministry responsible for trade, whose relevant services operate outside the Single Window for Business Startups. The import/export number has to be renewed annually. These conditions are the same for DRC nationals and foreigners.
Coverage Horizontal
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)
Since April 2017
Pillar Technical standards applied to ICT goods and online services |
Sub-pillar Self-certification for product safety
Ministerial Decree No. 003/CAB/MIN.COM.EXT/2017 of 3 April 2017 Approving the Pre-Shipment Verification Contract for Imports into the Democratic Republic of Congo Between the OCC and Bureau Veritas BIVAC (Décret Ministériel No. 003/CAB/MIN.COM.EXT/2017 du 3 avril 2017 Approuvant le Contrat de Vérification Avant Embarquement des Importations en République Démocratique du Congo Entre l’OCC et Bureau Veritas BIVAC)
A product covered by a certificate of conformity with the standards or technical regulations in force may still be subject to a conformity check when it is imported into the DRC, unless there is either a mutual recognition agreement or an explicit collaboration between the body that carried out the conformity assessment abroad and the Congolese Control Office (OCC). Even in the case of such an agreement or collaboration, the OCC may carry out the check again if it considers that, among other things, risks of deterioration of the product are possible during its transport.
Coverage All products with an FOB value above USD 2,500; Re-imports in the state; Postal parcels without commercial value
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)
Reported in 2021, last reported in 2023
Pillar Online sales and transactions |
Sub-pillar Threshold for ‘De Minimis’ rule
Low de minimis threshold
It is reported that the de minimis threshold, that is the minimum value of goods below which customs do not charge duties, is USD 100, below the 200 USD threshold recommended by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
Coverage Horizontal
Sources
- https://web.archive.org/web/20231220024306/https://global-express.org/index.php?id=271&act=101&profile_id=-1&countries%5B%5D=-2&search_terms=&question-filter=&qid_34=1&qid_34_optid=1&qid_35=1&qid_36=1...
- https://web.archive.org/web/20230227012953/https://global-express.org/assets/files/GEA%20De%20Minimis%20Country%20information_4%20November%202021.pdf
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)
N/A
Pillar Online sales and transactions |
Sub-pillar Framework for consumer protection applicable to online commerce
Lack of comprehensive consumer protection law applicable to online commerce
DRC does not have a legal framework that applies consumer protection to online transactions.
Coverage Horizontal
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)
N/A
Pillar Online sales and transactions |
Sub-pillar Ratification of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts
Lack of signature of the UN Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts
DRC has not signed the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts.
Coverage Horizontal
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)
N/A
Pillar Online sales and transactions |
Sub-pillar Adoption of United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce
Lack of adoption of UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce
DRC has not adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce.
Coverage Horizontal
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)
N/A
Pillar Online sales and transactions |
Sub-pillar Adoption of United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Signatures
Lack of adoption of UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Signatures
DRC 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
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)
N/A
Pillar Intermediary liability |
Sub-pillar Safe harbour for intermediaries for copyright infringement
Lack of intermediary liability framework in place for copyright infringements
A basic legal framework on intermediary liability for copyright infringement is absent in DRC's law and jurisprudence.
Coverage Internet intermediaries