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.

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

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.

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 businesses and importers have faced lengthy and difficult customs-clearance procedures in Haiti, resulting in significant delays and long waits for imported goods. Earlier reports also identified non-transparent and corrupt customs practices, including requests for unofficial payments to clear shipments and, in some cases, the negotiation of customs duties with inspectors. More recent reporting indicates that systematic physical inspections and the temporary suspension of simplified clearance channels have further prolonged border-clearance times. Off-site inspection arrangements have also been acknowledged as creating corruption risks.

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.