The United Arab Emirates is a party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

The United Arab Emirates has a copyright regime under the Federal Law No. 38 of 2021 on Copyrights and Neighboring Rights. However, the exceptions do not follow the fair use or fair dealing model, therefore limiting the lawful use of copyrighted work by others. Arts. 22–24 list the exceptions, which include personal and educational uses. An individual may make a single copy for personal, non-commercial use, subject to statutory exclusions (works of fine and applied art in public places, architectural works permanently located in public places, and software/databases except as otherwise permitted). Short excerpts may be reproduced for criticism, discussion or information with proper attribution. Authorised organisations may prepare accessible-format copies for persons with disabilities on a non-profit basis. Current events uses are also permitted, such as reproducing or broadcasting extracts of published articles, speeches or lectures of public interest, provided the source and author are acknowledged.

The United Arab Emirates is a signatory of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) of 1996, but is not a signatory of its 2015 expansion (ITA II).

In September 2024, the United Arab Emirates, implementing a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) decision through Directive No. (2) of 2024, imposed definitive anti-dumping duties for a period of five years on imports of electrical connectors, switches, sockets, and plugs for a voltage not exceeding 1000 volts (HS codes: 853669, 853650, 85444291, 85444221) originating in or exported from the People’s Republic of China. These products are widely used in electrical installations and consumer electronics. The duties imposed range from 11.3% to 42%, depending on the exporting company.

According to Arts. 17–18 of Cabinet Resolution No. 122 of 2024 (Implementing Regulations of Federal Law No. 11 of 2023 and repealing Cabinet Resolution No. 4 of 2019), federal entities may use three procurement methods: (a) public tender, (b) limited tender, and (c) direct order or sole source. A public tender is mandatory when the estimated contract value exceeds the threshold specified in the Manual of Federal Government Procurement Procedures, and only registered and accepted suppliers are eligible to participate.
Art. 1 of the Federal Law No. 11 of 2023 defines a supplier as any natural or legal person that provides procurements in accordance with the provisions of this law and its executive regulations.
As specified in the Federal Government Procurement Procedures Manual (2025) for contracts valued at less than AED 250,000 (approx. USD 70,000), procuring entities may use direct procurement methods, such as purchase orders or simplified procedures, subject to compliance with the Manual and financial regulations. For contracts valued between AED 250,000 (approx. USD 70,000) and AED 5,000,000 (approx. USD 1.4 million), restricted or limited tendering procedures may be applied. For contracts exceeding AED 5,000,000 (approx. USD 1.4 million), procuring entities are required to use the public (open) tendering procedure.

According to Art. 22 of Federal Law No. 11 of 2023 concerning Procurement in the Federal Government, tender evaluation criteria may include a margin of preference for suppliers that generate public interest or added national value, for locally produced goods, or to stimulate the participation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in line with the implementing regulations.
Art. 13 of Cabinet Resolution No. 122 of 2024 on the Executive Regulation further strengthens SME participation by requiring federal agencies to allocate 10% of annual procurement expenditure to SMEs. In addition, SMEs receive a 10% increase in their final evaluation score during the award process. SMEs may also challenge tender requirements that unduly restrict their ability to compete, obliging the procurement unit to review such claims and propose adjustments where appropriate. Federal agencies are further authorised to introduce economic incentives in favour of SMEs, such as easing payment terms, providing advance payments, or other measures designed to enhance their competitiveness.

Cabinet Resolution No. 122 of 2024 on the Executive Regulation of Federal Law No. 11 of 2023 on Procurement in the Federal Government, which repeals Resolution No. (4) of 2019, maintains the requirement that suppliers must be registered and accepted in order to participate in federal procurement. However, unlike the previous framework, the obligation for suppliers to have at least one partner or service agent who is a UAE citizen has been removed, as has the exemption from registration fees previously granted to companies owned by national citizens, subsidised by SME funds, and established under federal or local statutes.
Art. 9 of Resolution No. 122 sets out the revised framework for supplier registration and acceptance.

Uganda has adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Signatures.

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

Uganda has adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce.

Uganda does not implement any de minimis threshold, which is the minimum value of goods below which customs do not charge duties. However, local authorities have indicated that, as early as 2009, goods valued at USD 50 or below have not been subject to import taxes in practice. This informal practice is not established in any publicly available legal or regulatory instrument and appears to be implemented through internal memos issued to staff for operational purposes.

According to Art. 29 of the Data Protection and Privacy Act and Section 15 of the Data Protection and Privacy Regulations, any person intending to act as a data controller or data processor must register with the Personal Data Protection Office (PDPO). As specified in Section 16 of the Regulations, data controllers and data processors are required to submit the following information for registration:
- State the name of the applicant;
- State the name and address of the applicant’s representative, where the applicant is a foreigner or situated outside Uganda;
- Specify whether the applicant is a data collector, data processor or data controller;
- State the address of the applicant;
- Specify the nature and category of personal data being processed or to be processed;
- Specify the purpose for which the applicant collects or processes personal data;
- Contain any other information that the Office may require.
This registration requirement, including the obligation to designate a local representative where the applicant is a foreigner or situated outside Uganda, applies to all digital operators, as confirmed by the recent Ssekamwa v Google LLC case, where Google was fined for failing to comply with these requirements.

The Electronic Transactions Act provides a comprehensive framework for consumer protection that also applies to online transactions. Sections 24-28 set consumer protection requirements for ICT suppliers, including providing relevant information such as the legal names, addresses of the supplier(s), price, description, and applicable warranties of products, as well as provisions for cancellation of electronic transactions.

The Ugandan government has been reported to intermittently block access to social media platforms—such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter—as well as mobile money services during electoral periods, including both before and after the 2016 and 2021 general elections. In 2021, these measures were further expanded to include restrictions on approximately 100 virtual private network (VPN) services. Additionally, users reported difficulties accessing app distribution platforms such as the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. As of April 2024, Facebook remained officially inaccessible; however, some users indicated they could still access the platform through certain Wi-Fi networks and increasingly available VPNs.