Database

Browse Database

BRAZIL

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 the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) and in ITA Expansion Agreement (ITA II)
Brazil is not a signatory of the 1996 World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) nor the 2015 expansion (ITA II).
Coverage ICT goods

BOTSWANA

Since January 2019

Pillar Online sales and transactions  |  Indicator Restrictions on online payments
Electronic Payments Services Regulations, 2019
According to Section 29 of the Electronic Payments Services Regulations, licensees for electronic payment systems must adhere to transaction limits set in Schedule 3 of the regulations. Operating limits for account-based payment systems (e-money account, execution of card payment, credit transfers and direct debits) have a monthly aggregate transaction limit within the range of BWP 20,000 (approx. USD 1,750) to BWP 30,000 (approx. USD 2,600) for individual customers and BWP 50,000 (approx. USD 4,350) for SMEs, while for retail agents the monthly aggregate transaction limit is BWP 1,000,000 (approx. USD 87,000).
Coverage Electronic payment systems

BOTSWANA

N/A

Pillar Online sales and transactions  |  Indicator Threshold for ‘De Minimis’ rule
Lack of de minimis threshold
Botswana does not implement any de minimis threshold, which is the minimum value of goods below which customs do not charge duties.
Coverage Horizontal

BOTSWANA

Since December 2018
Since May 2014

Pillar Online sales and transactions  |  Indicator Framework for consumer protection applicable to online commerce
Consumer Protection Act

Electronic Communications and Transactions Act
The Consumer Protection Act and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act provide a comprehensive consumer protection framework that applies to online transactions.
Coverage Horizontal

BOTSWANA

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

BOTSWANA

Since 2014

Pillar Online sales and transactions  |  Indicator UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce
UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce
Botswana 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

BOTSWANA

Since 2014

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

BOTSWANA

Since September 2008

Pillar Quantitative trade restrictions for ICT goods and online services  |  Indicator Other import restrictions, including non-transparent/discriminatory import procedures
Standards (Import Inspection) Regulations, 2008
With the exception of goods originating in Malawi, import permits – issued by the Department of International Trade in the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry – are required for goods entering Botswana directly from outside the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU). Any public or private body whose product satisfies all the requirements of a Botswana product standard can apply to the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) for the product to be certified. Samples of the product are then tested to verify its conformance to the requirements of the product standard, and if the results are acceptable, the product can then obtain the BOBS certification mark.
Regulations 3 and 6 of the Standards (Import Inspection) Regulations of 2008 provide that a compliance certificate should be obtained for all commodities or goods to be imported into Botswana. The imported commodities should either comply with the Bureau standards or international or foreign standards recognised by the Bureau for the compliance certificate to be issued.
Coverage Horizontal

BOTSWANA

Since March 2016, last amended in April 2022

Pillar Technical standards applied to ICT goods and online services  |  Indicator Self-certification for product safety
Type Approval Guidelines
According to Art. 5 of the Type Approval Guidelines, type approval applies to anyone who imports, manufactures, uses, or supplies telecommunication or broadcasting equipment for use or sale in Botswana. The person who wants to use or sell this product must register the equipment with Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA), prior to importing, unless the equipment concerned has already been registered in BROCA’s Type Approval Database. According to Art. 6, for registration, the application must be accompanied by a declaration of conformity (DoC) and a full set of test reports confirming compliance with declared conformity. In addition, according to Section 6.5, it is not necessary to submit any other documentation or a sample of the equipment unless requested to do so by BOCRA. As specified in Art. 10, test results must be obtained from a labouratory that has been accredited by a body that is a member of the International labouratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement. Test results should be included with the application unless BOCRA specifically states in writing that test results are not required. The equipment must be tested for compliance with BROCA’s technical specifications (or equivalent) and should cover areas of safety, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and technical standards. Reference to such compliance must be included in the declaration of conformity submitted with the application.
Coverage Telecommunication and broadcasting equipment

BOTSWANA

Since October 2024, entry into force in January 2025

Pillar Domestic data policies  |  Indicator Requirement to perform a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) or have a data protection officer (DPO)
Data Protection Act, 2024 - Act No. 18 of 2024
Section 69 of Botswana’s Data Protection Act provides that a data controller or data processor is required to appoint a data protection officer (DPO) in circumstances where the processing of personal data is carried out by a public authority or body, excluding courts acting in their judicial capacity; where the core activities of the controller or processor involve processing operations which, by their nature, scope and purpose, necessitate regular and systematic monitoring of data subjects on a large scale; or where such core activities consist of large-scale processing of sensitive personal data or personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences.
In addition, Section 65 of the Act stipulates that where a type of processing employs new technologies and, considering its nature, scope, context and purpose, is likely to pose a high risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons, the data controller must conduct a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) prior to initiating such processing. A DPIA is specifically required in cases involving systematic and extensive evaluation of personal characteristics based on automated processing, including profiling, where such processing results in decisions that produce legal effects or significantly affect the individual; where sensitive personal data or data relating to criminal convictions and offences is processed on a large scale; or where large-scale systematic monitoring of publicly accessible areas is undertaken
Coverage Horizontal

BOTSWANA

Since October 2024, entry into force in January 2025

Pillar Domestic data policies  |  Indicator Requirement to allow the government to access personal data collected
Data Protection Act, 2024 - Act No. 18 of 2024
Pursuant to Section 14.d of the 2024 Data Protection Act, the Commission is vested with the authority to obtain from data controllers and data processors access to all personal data, as well as any information deemed necessary for the fulfilment of its statutory functions. Such access does not require the issuance of a court order. The 2024 Act repealed the 2018 Data Protection Act, which contained a comparable provision under Section 10.
Coverage Horizontal

BOTSWANA

N/A

Pillar Intermediary liability  |  Indicator Safe harbour for intermediaries for copyright infringement
Lack of intermediary liability framework in place for copyright infringements
It is reported that a basic legal framework on intermediary liability for copyright infringement is absent in Botswana's law and jurisprudence. Despite Part VIII of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act protects information service providers from any civil or criminal liability with respect to third-party material stored or transmitted on their platforms if they did not contribute to the material, according to Art. 39 of the Act, nothing in the Act shall affect any liability of the service provider under the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act in respect of the infringement of copyright in any work or other subject matter in which copyright subsists.
Coverage Internet intermediaries

BOTSWANA

Since May 2014

Pillar Intermediary liability  |  Indicator Safe harbour for intermediaries for any activity other than copyright infringement
Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 2014
Part VIII of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act protects information services providers from any civil or criminal liability with respect to third-party material stored or transmitted on their platforms if they did not contribute to the material. It is also expected that the information service providers should expeditiously remove or disable access to the infringing content upon receiving a take-down notice.
Coverage Internet intermediaries

BOTSWANA

N/A

Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition  |  Indicator Passive infrastructure sharing obligation
Requirement of passive infrastructure sharing
It is reported that there is an obligation for passive infrastructure sharing in Botswana to deliver telecom services to end users. Moreover, passive infrastructure sharing is practised in the mobile and fixed sectors based on commercial agreements.
Coverage Telecommunications sector

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