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NEPAL

Reported in 2021, last reported in 2025

Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)  |  Indicator Enforcement of copyright online
Lack of adequate enforcement of copyright online
It is reported that protecting intellectual property rights remains a significant challenge in Nepal, as existing laws and regulations are outdated and ineffective, and enforcement is inconsistent. This situation is further compounded by difficulties in preventing the sale of digital media.
Coverage Horizontal

NEPAL

N/A

Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)  |  Indicator Adoption of the WIPO Copyright Treaty
Lack of signature of the WIPO Copyright Treaty
Nepal has not signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty.
Coverage Horizontal

NEPAL

N/A

Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)  |  Indicator Adoption of the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty
Lack of signature of the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty
Nepal has not signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty.
Coverage Horizontal

NEPAL

N/A

Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)  |  Indicator Effective protection covering trade secrets
Lack of regulatory framework covering trade secrets
Nepal lacks a comprehensive regime for the protection of trade secrets. However, the Industrial Enterprises Act, 2076 (2020) contains general provisions that protect intellectual property, including trade secrets.
Coverage Horizontal

NEPAL

N/A

Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition  |  Indicator Passive infrastructure sharing obligation
Lack of obligation to share passive infrastructure
It is reported that there is no obligation for passive infrastructure sharing in Nepal to deliver telecom services to end users. However, passive infrastructure sharing is practised in both the mobile and fixed sectors based on commercial agreements.
It is further reported that the relevant legal framework is set out in the Telecommunications Infrastructure Sharing and Fee Determination Bylaw, 2078, and the Infrastructure Sharing Guideline, 2072. However, English versions of these instruments are not publicly available.
Coverage Telecommunications sector

NEPAL

Since April 2004

Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition  |  Indicator Maximum foreign equity share for investment in the telecommunication sector
Telecommunication Policy, 2060 (2004) (दूरसञ्चार नीति २०६०)
According to Section 5.6.2 of the Telecommunication Policy Act, foreign ownership in the telecommunications sector is subject to a maximum equity limit of 80%.
Coverage Telecommunications sector

NEPAL

Reported in 2020, last reported in 2025

Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition  |  Indicator Presence of shares owned by the government in telecom companies
Presence of shares owned by the government in the telecom sector
The government owns shares in some telecommunications companies. In particular, Nepal Telecom (NTC), or Nepal Doorsanchar Company Limited (NDCL), the incumbent telecommunications operator, is a state-owned company with approximately 92% state shareholding.
Coverage Telecommunications sector

NEPAL

N/A

Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition  |  Indicator Functional/accounting separation for operators with significant market power
Lack of mandatory functional separation for dominant network operators
Nepal does not mandate functional separation for operators with significant market power (SMP) in the telecom market. However, there is an obligation of accounting separation. According to Section 5.4 of the Guideline for tariff Approval for Telecommunications Services, all licensees are required to establish and maintain separate accounts for each service specified in the license.
Coverage Telecommunications sector

NEPAL

Since January 1997, last amended in September 2021

Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition  |  Indicator Licensing restrictions to operate in the telecom market
Telecommunications Act, 2053 (1997) (दूरसञ्चार ऐन, २०५३)
Under Section 33 of Nepal’s Telecommunications Act, 2053 (1997), where telecommunications-related land, buildings, plant, equipment, or other facilities have been developed with more than 50% foreign investment, ownership of those assets transfers to the Government upon expiry of the licence period. Under Section 33(2), the former licensee may repurchase the assets at a price fixed by the Government and, upon obtaining a new licence, continue operating the telecommunications service.
Coverage Telecommunications sector

NEPAL

N/A

Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition  |  Indicator Signature of the WTO Telecom Reference Paper
Lack of appendment of WTO Telecom Reference Paper to schedule of commitments
Nepal has not appended the World Trade Organization (WTO) Telecom Reference Paper to its schedule of commitments.
Coverage Telecommunications sector

NEPAL

N/A

Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition  |  Indicator Presence of an independent telecom authority
Presence of an independent telecom authority
It is reported that the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), the executive authority for the supervision and administration of services in the telecommunications sector, is independent from the government in the decision-making process.
Coverage Telecommunications sector

NEPAL

Since July 1992, last amended in March 2025

Pillar Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in sectors relevant to digital trade  |  Indicator Nationality/residency requirement for directors or managers
Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act, 2019 (2075) (विदेशी लगानी तथा प्रविधि हस्तान्तरण ऐन, २०७५)
Pursuant to Art. 27 of the Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act, 2019 (FITTA), an enterprise with foreign investment must fill expert positions in top-level management, as well as high-level technical, managerial, and technical roles, with Nepali citizens. Where the enterprise is unable to fill such expert positions domestically and it is necessary to secure the transfer of technical knowledge or skills, it may employ foreign nationals in accordance with the applicable law.
Coverage Horizontal

NEPAL

Since March 2023

Pillar Cross-border data policies  |  Indicator Ban to transfer and local processing requirement
IoT/ M2M Regulatory Framework, 2079
Section 9.4 of the IoT/M2M Regulatory Framework stipulates that personally‑indefinable information (that is, data that cannot be used to identify a specific individual) must be stored exclusively within Nepal. Moreover, at least one copy of all relevant data must be stored within Nepal. However, the provision does not specify what 'relevant data' is. Furthermore, the same provision encourages 'complete data localisation', which is also not clarified.
Coverage IoT/M2M providers
"SELECT DISTINCT(post_id) FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'score' AND\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'country' AND meta_value = 'NP')\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAND (\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'subchapter' AND meta_value = '1.1') OR\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'subchapter' AND meta_value = '1.2') OR\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'subchapter' AND meta_value = '1.3')\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t)"
[{"post_id":"105684"},{"post_id":"105685"},{"post_id":"105686"}]
"SELECT meta_value FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'impact' AND\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'country' AND meta_value = 'NP')\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAND (\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'subchapter' AND meta_value = '1.1') OR\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'subchapter' AND meta_value = '1.2')\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t)"
"SELECT meta_value FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'score' AND\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'country' AND meta_value = 'NP')\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAND (\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id IN (SELECT post_id FROM prj_12_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'subchapter' AND meta_value = '1.3')\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t)"
ITA: [{"meta_value":"1.00"}]

NEPAL

ITA signatory? I II

Pillar Tariffs and trade defence measures applied on ICT goods  |  Indicator Effective tariff rate on ICT goods (applied weighted average)
Effective tariff rate to ICT goods (applied weighted average)
8.28%
Coverage rate of zero-tariffs on ICT goods (%)
28.48%
Coverage: ICT goods

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