Barbados is not a signatory of the 1996 World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) nor the 2015 expansion (ITA II).

Barbados is not a party to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA); however, it has maintained observer status since October 2025.

It is reported that at least 25% of the equity in a telecommunications carrier must be held by Barbadian natural or legal persons. Furthermore, it is indicated that the authorities have noted that mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) are also subject to the same ownership structure requirement.

According to Art. 17.5 of the Patent Act, an applicant (both foreigner and local) for a patent must be represented by a patent agent in Barbados. In addition, it is reported that to be a patent agent in Barbados, it is mandatory to be an attorney-at-law licensed and registered with the Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office.

Barbados is a party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

Bahrain has not adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Signatures.

In accordance with Law No. 81 of 2006 with respect to Approving the Common Industrial Law of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Bahrain imposes a regime for import licensing for certain products. Importers of several products must obtain an industrial licence from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism (MoICT), which can be issued only to a firm or an individual resident in Bahrain. It is valid for one year (renewable) and is transferable between importers. This requirement applies to importers of several products, including electric motors, generators, transformers, and electricity distribution and control apparatus; batteries and accumulators; wiring and wiring devices; electric lighting equipment; domestic appliances, other electric equipment; and machinery and equipment.

Self-certification is allowed in Bahrain for radio transmission, electromagnetic interference (EMI) or electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). The country allows foreign companies to self-certify that they comply with these standards, through a Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC). It is reported that, when applying for equipment type approval, the submission must include a manufacturer’s declaration of conformity, together with electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and radio-frequency safety test reports issued by an internationally accredited telecommunications laboratory. These documents shall support the conformity assessment and be accompanied by a detailed technical description of the equipment and its associated units, including the frequencies that may be tuned or utilised.

Arts. 1 and 2 of Decision No. 51 of 2024 authorise engagement in the commercial activities enumerated in Table No. 1 through a virtual commercial store, subject to assessment by the competent directorate of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the nature of the activity for which the licence is sought; applicants must be Bahraini nationals, operate exclusively as a sole proprietorship, and provide a permanent correspondence address. Art. 4 requires licence holders conducting online sales to maintain an operational website and prohibits them from trading in any products listed in Table No. 2, while Art. 5 forbids the recruitment of foreign labour for licensed activities. Table No. 1 includes, among others, online sales.

It is reported that the de minimis threshold, defined as the minimum value of goods below which customs authorities do not levy duties, is 300 BHD (approximately USD 800). However, this threshold applies exclusively to business-to-consumer (B2C) consignments, whereas for business-to-business (B2B) transactions no de minimis threshold exists.

It is reported that the registration of “.bh” and “.com.bh” domain names requires the presence of a local representative. Also, each applicant is permitted to register only a single domain name.

Law No. 35 of 2012 on Consumer Protection, together with its Executive Regulations, the Law on Electronic Communications and Transactions, and supplementary legislation, establishes a comprehensive legal framework for consumer protection, which extends to online transactions.

Bahrain has signed and ratified the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts.