Database

Browse Database

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

N/A

Pillar Tariffs and trade defence measures applied on ICT goods  |  Indicator Participation in the WTO Information Technology Agreement (ITA) and 2015 expansion (ITA II)
Lack of participation in Information Technology Agreement (ITA) and in ITA Expansion Agreement (ITA II)
Central Africa Republic is not a signatory of the 1996 World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) nor the 2015 expansion (ITA II).
Coverage ICT goods

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Reported in 2023

Pillar Public procurement of ICT goods and online services  |  Indicator Exclusion from public procurement
High thresholds for competitive bidding
It is reported that the Government is authorised to conduct competitive bidding when the price of the project exceeds 250 million CFA francs (approx. USD 415,160) for services and above 25 Million CFA francs (approx. USD 41,516) for intellectual services.
Coverage Horizontal

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Since June 2008

Pillar Public procurement of ICT goods and online services  |  Indicator Other limitations on foreign participation in public procurement
Law No. 08-017 of 6 June 2008 on the Public Procurement Code in the CAR (Loi No. 08-017 du 6 Juin 2008 Portant sur le Code des Marchés Publics en RCA)
According to Law No. 08-017 on the Public Procurement Code in CAR, when awarding a public contract or a public service delegation, preference may be given to the bid submitted by a company with its head office in the Central African Republic. Firms having their registered office in a CEMAC Member State may benefit from the above-mentioned preference rules. This margin of preference, quantified as a percentage of the amount of the bid, may in no case exceed 15% for national firms and 10% for firms having their headquarters in CEMAC countries (Art. 64).
Moreover, a contract applicant who plans to subcontract at least 30% of the total value of the contract to a company in a CEMAC member state may be granted a margin of preference not exceeding 5%, which may be added to the preference referred to in Art. 64 of this law (Art. 26). This applies to contracts for a local authority or one of its public establishments.
Coverage Horizontal

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

N/A

Pillar Public procurement of ICT goods and online services  |  Indicator Signatory of the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) with coverage of the most relevant services sectors (CPC 752, 754, 84)
Lack of participation in the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA)
CAR is not a party to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) nor does it have observer status.
Coverage Horizontal

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Since July 2001

Pillar Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in sectors relevant to digital trade  |  Indicator Maximum foreign equity share
Law No. 01-010 of 16 July 2001 on the Charter of Investments in the Central African Republic (Loi No. 01-010 du 16 Juillet 2001 Portant Charte des Investissements en République Centrafricaine)
According to the Investment Charter of 2001 in CAR, any natural or legal person, Central African or foreign, regardless of their place of residence, may undertake and freely carry out economic activities in CAR, subject to specific provisions aimed at protecting the environment, health and public hygiene. In this regard, no discrimination can take place between natural or legal persons of Central African nationality and those of foreign nationalities, subject to measures relating to all foreign nationals and the application of the same principle of equal treatment by the State of which the foreign natural or legal person is a national (Art. 9).
Coverage Horizontal

CANADA

Since November 2000

Pillar Online sales and transactions  |  Indicator Threshold for ‘De Minimis’ rule
Memorandum D8-2-2, Postal Imports Remission Order
According to the Postal Imports Remission Order, the importation of goods whose total value does not exceed the threshold of CAN 20 (approx. USD 15), with the exception of tobacco, books, periodicals, magazines, and alcoholic beverages, are exempt from import duties. This threshold is lower than the USD 200 threshold recommended by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
Coverage Horizontal

CANADA

Since 2000

Pillar Online sales and transactions  |  Indicator Restrictions on domain names
Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants
Parties wishing to obtain a ".ca" domain name need to satisfy the Canadian Internet Registration Authority's Canadian Presence Requirements, which reserves ".ca" domain names for Canadian citizens, permanent residents, companies incorporated in a Canadian jurisdiction, partnerships registered in Canada, and entities with Canadian trademarks. Domain names can be licensed to the registrant either through a stand-alone licence agreement or as part of a larger transaction.
Coverage Horizontal

CANADA

Since December 2002, last amended in December 2023
Since December 2015, last amended in April 2023

Pillar Online sales and transactions  |  Indicator Framework for consumer protection applicable to online commerce
Competition Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-34)

Anti-Spam Law
The law Competition Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-34) and the Anti-Spam Law provide a comprehensive framework for consumer protection that also applies to online transactions.
Coverage Horizontal

CANADA

N/A

Pillar Online sales and transactions  |  Indicator Ratification of the 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
Canada has not signed the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts.
Coverage Horizontal

CANADA

Since 2019

Pillar Online sales and transactions  |  Indicator UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce
UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce
Canada has adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce.
Coverage Horizontal

CANADA

N/A

Pillar Online sales and transactions  |  Indicator UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Signatures
Lack of adoption of UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Signatures
Canada 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

CANADA

Since March 2014, last amended in December 2024

Pillar Quantitative trade restrictions for ICT goods and online services  |  Indicator Export restrictions on ICT goods or online services
Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations (SOR/2014-58)
Section 3.06 of the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations prohibits the export of certain goods and technologies to Russia, as specified in the Restricted Goods and Technologies List. This list encompasses a wide array of items, including electronics, computing, telecommunications, sensors, and lasers.
Coverage Exports to Russia of certain goods and technologies related to electronics, computing, and telecommunications

CANADA

Since September 2020, last amended in January 2025

Pillar Quantitative trade restrictions for ICT goods and online services  |  Indicator Export restrictions on ICT goods or online services
Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations (SOR/2020-214)
Section 3.6 of the Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations prohibits the export of certain goods and technologies to Belarus, as specified in the Restricted Goods and Technologies List and Schedule 3 of the Regulations. These lists encompass a wide array of items, including electronics, computing, telecommunications, sensors, and lasers.
Coverage Exports to Belarus of certain goods and technologies related to electronics, computing, and telecommunications

CANADA

Reported in 2002, last reported in 2023

Pillar Technical standards applied to ICT goods and online services  |  Indicator Self-certification for product safety
Supplier Declaration of Conformity allowed for foreign businesses
Self-certification is permitted for radio transmission, electromagnetic interference (EMI), and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). Foreign companies are authorised to self-certify compliance with these standards through a Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC). The registration of the equipment with the regulatory authority is not required, nor is testing by an accredited laboratory mandatory. In cases where testing is conducted, the selection of the testing laboratory is at the discretion of the supplier or manufacturer.
Coverage Electronic products

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