Database

Browse Database

COTE D'IVOIRE

Since March 2012

Pillar Telecom infrastructure & competition  |  Indicator Presence of an independent telecom authority
Ordinance No. 2012-293 on Telecommunications and Information and Communication Technologies (Ordonnance No. 2012-293 relative aux Télécommunications et aux Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication)
Art. 71 of Ordinance No. 2012-293 establishes an independent administrative authority known as the Telecommunications/ICT Regulatory Authority of Côte d’Ivoire (ARTCI), which possesses legal personality and financial autonomy. It is reported that ARTCI, as the executive body responsible for the oversight and regulation of telecommunications services, operates independently of the government in its decision-making processes.
Coverage Telecommunications sector

COTE D'IVOIRE

Since June 2013

Pillar Cross-border data policies  |  Indicator Ban to transfer and local processing requirement
Law No. 2013-450 of 19 June 2013 on the Protection of Personal Data (Loi No. 2013-450 du 19 juin 2013 relative à la protection des données à caractère personnel)
Under Art. 26 of Law No. 2013-450, the controller of a processing operation may only be authorised to transfer personal data to a third country if that country ensures a higher or equivalent level of protection of the privacy, freedoms and fundamental rights of individuals with regard to the processing of which such data are or may be subject. In addition, before any actual transfer of personal data to this third country, the controller must first obtain authorisation from the Protection Authority. The transfer of personal data to third countries is subject to regular monitoring by the Protection Authority with regard to their purpose.
Coverage Horizontal

COTE D'IVOIRE

Since March 2012

Pillar Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in sectors relevant to digital trade  |  Indicator Commercial presence requirement for digital services providers
Ordinance No. 2012-293 on Telecommunications and Information and Communication Technologies (Ordonnance No. 2012-293 relative aux Télécommunications et aux Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication)
Ordinance No. 2012-293 provides for licenses under which a company is allowed to establish, operate networks or provide telecommunications services. Obtaining an individual license is subject to the following conditions: being a legal entity under Ivorian law, having the technical and financial capacity, having an operating plan for the individual license that complies with the criteria established in the specifications, committing to comply with the applicable law, in particular, this Ordinance and its implementing provisions, as well as the specifications appended to the license for which it applies (Art. 9). In practice, however, this requirement does not seem to prevent foreign providers from offering their services across borders.
Coverage Telecommunications sector

COTE D'IVOIRE

Since February 1999, entry into force in February 2002, last amended in December 2015
Since December 2019, entry into force in March 2020

Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)  |  Indicator Practical or legal restrictions related to the application process for patents
Bangui Agreement Relating to the Creation of an African Intellectual Property Organization, Constituting a Revision of the Agreement Relating to the Creation of an African and Malagasy Office of Industrial Property (Bangui (Central African Republic), 2 March 1977) (Accord de Bangui relatif à la création d'une organization Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle, constituant révision de l'Accord relatif à la création d'un Office Africain et Malgache de la Propriété Industrielle (Bangui (République centrafricaine), le 2 mars 1977)

Regulations on the Profession of Authorised Agent Before the African Intellectual Property Organization (Règlement sur la profession de Mandataire agréé auprès de l'Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle)
According to the Bangui Agreement, ratified by 17 French-speaking States, including Côte d'Ivoire, applicants resident outside the territory of the Member States must file through an agent selected in one of those Member States (Section III, Art. 8). The professional status of agent accredited to the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) is governed by the Regulations on the profession of Authorised Agent before the OAPI.
Coverage Horizontal

COTE D'IVOIRE

Since April 1991

Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)  |  Indicator Participation in the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
Côte d'Ivoire is a party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
Coverage Horizontal

COTE D'IVOIRE

Since March 1977, as amended in December 2015, entry into force in November 2020
Since July 2016, entry into force in October 2016

Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)  |  Indicator Copyright law with clear exceptions
Bangui Agreement Relating to the Creation of an African Intellectual Property Organization, Constituting a Revision of the Agreement Relating to the Creation of an African and Malagasy Office of Industrial Property (Bangui (Central African Republic), 2 March 1977) (Accord de Bangui relatif à la création d'une organization Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle, constituant révision de l'Accord relatif à la création d'un Office Africain et Malgache de la Propriété Industrielle (Bangui (République centrafricaine), le 2 mars 1977)

Law No. 2016-555 of 26 July 2016 on Copyright and Related Rights (Loi No. 2016-555 du 26 juillet 2016 relative aux droits d'auteurs et des droits voisins)
The Revised Bangui Agreement is a regional intellectual property law that is not only a regional convention applicable in all member states but also serves as a national intellectual property law in Côte d'Ivoire and each of the other member states. The Revised Bangui Agreement contains provisions on copyright in Annex VII: Chapter IV (Limitations to Economic Rights) and establishes a regime of copyright exceptions. However, the exceptions do not follow the fair use or fair dealing model, therefore limiting the lawful use of copyrighted work by others. In addition, Arts. 24-35 of Law No. 2016-555 also provides for limitations and exceptions to copyright.
Coverage Horizontal

COTE D'IVOIRE

Reported in 2022, last reported in 2023

Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)  |  Indicator Enforcement of copyright online
Lack of adequate enforcement of copyright online
It is reported that inadequate enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights remains a serious concern in Côte d'Ivoire due to limited resources.
Coverage Horizontal

COTE D'IVOIRE

N/A

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

COTE D'IVOIRE

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
Côte d'Ivoire has not signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty.
Coverage Horizontal

COTE D'IVOIRE

Since March 2014

Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)  |  Indicator Mandatory disclosure of business trade secrets such as algorithms or source code
Decree No. 2014-105 of 12 March 2014 Defining the Conditions for Providing Cryptology Services (Décret No. 2014-105 du 12 mars 2014 portant définition des conditions de fourniture des prestations de cryptologie)
Under Art. 16 of Decree No. 214-105, competent administrative or judicial authorities can access secret codes of encrypted data upon request to the Telecommunications Regulatory Agency of Cote d'Ivoire (ARTCI) or order decryption of data through the help of ARTCI.
Coverage Horizontal

COTE D'IVOIRE

N/A

Pillar Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)  |  Indicator Effective protection covering trade secrets
Lack of comprehensive trade secret regime
Côte d'Ivoire does not have comprehensive trade secret legislation. Yet, there are provisions addressing disclosure, acquisition or use of confidential information in the course of industrial or commercial activities by third parties in Art. 6 of Annex VIII of the Bangui Agreement ratified by 17 French-speaking States, including Côte d'Ivoire since 2002.
Coverage Horizontal

COTE D'IVOIRE

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)
Côte d'Ivoire is not a signatory of the 1996 World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) nor the 2015 expansion (ITA II).
Coverage ICT goods

COTE D'IVOIRE

Since July 2019

Pillar Public procurement of ICT goods and online services  |  Indicator Other limitations on foreign participation in public procurement
Ordinance No. 2019-679 of 24 July 2019 on the Public Procurement Code (Ordonnance No. 2019-679 du 24 juillet 2019 portant Code des marchés publics)
Arts. 43.4 and 73 of Ordinance No. 2019-679 provide that any contracting authority must apply a margin of preference of not more than 15% to:
- A bid submitted by a bidder who intends to subcontract at least 30% of the overall value of the contract concerned to a local small and medium-sized enterprise.
- Any bid submitted by a bidding community enterprise, that is, an enterprise whose registered office is located in a Member State of the West African Economic and Monetary Union.
Coverage Horizontal

COTE D'IVOIRE

Since July 2019

Pillar Public procurement of ICT goods and online services  |  Indicator Other limitations on foreign participation in public procurement
Ordinance No. 2019-679 of 24 July 2019 on the Public Procurement Code (Ordonnance No. 2019-679 du 24 juillet 2019 portant Code des marchés publics)
Art. 19.4 of Ordinance No. 2019-679 provides that each contracting authority must set aside annually for small and medium-sized enterprises a minimum share of 30% of the estimated value of contracts for works, goods or services.
Coverage Horizontal

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