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

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

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.

In accordance with Art. 137 of the Constitution of Honduras and Art. 11 of the Labour Code, foreign companies are prohibited from employing less than 90% Honduran workers and from paying them less than 85% of the total wages earned in their respective companies. However, the Secretary of Labour and Social Security may allow a higher proportion of foreigners to be employed for a period of five years, after which, as far as possible, they must be replaced by Honduran employees.

According to Art. 144 of the Industrial Property Law, all persons must file their applications through a legal representative. Where the applicant or holder of an industrial property right is domiciled or has its headquarters outside Honduras, they must be represented by an agent domiciled in the country.
Moreover, as established under Art. 45 of the Industrial Property Law, a patent application must include the name and address of a representative or agent in Honduras if the applicant has no domicile or establishment in the country.

Haiti lacks a comprehensive framework for consumer protection that applies to online transactions.

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

Haiti enacted the Electronic Transactions Act, drawing upon the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce.

Haiti has not adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Signatures. Nevertheless, electronic signatures are regulated under Haiti’s Electronic Signature Act of 2017.

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.

It is reported that Natcom S.A. has been the largest telecom provider in Haiti since 2010, with a 30% market share. Natcom is a joint venture between the Haitian government and the Vietnamese company Viettel. The latter owns 60% of the enterprise, while the Haitian government owns the remaining 40%.

Haiti does not mandate functional or accounting separation for operators with significant market power (SMP) in the telecom market.

Haiti has not appended the World Trade Organization (WTO) Telecom Reference Paper to its schedule of commitments.

Haiti has a telecommunications authority: the Conseil National des Télécommunications. However, it is reported that this entity's decision-making process is not fully independent of the government.