Benin has ratified the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty.

Benin has ratified the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty.

Benin does not have a comprehensive framework in place that provides effective protection of trade secrets, but there are limited measures addressing some issues related to trade secrets. The country has established 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 Benin since 2002.

According to Art. 72 of Law No. 2017-20, the Regulatory Authority shall encourage sharing active and passive infrastructures and access to alternative infrastructures under equity, non-discrimination, and equal access conditions. The Authority can make infrastructure sharing mandatory in specific cases such as i) promotion of competition objectives, ii) territorial planning, or iii) protection of the environment or heritage.

According to Art. 1 of Decree No. 2018-552 of 12 December 2018, the State is the sole shareholder of the telecommunications company SBIN S.A, which is therefore fully state-owned.

It is reported that Benin mandates functional and accounting separation for operators with significant market power (SMP) in the telecom market.

Benin has not appended the World Trade Organization (WTO) Telecom Reference Paper to its schedule of commitments.

The Post and Electronic Communications Regulatory Authority (ARCEP) is the Authority in charge of regulating electronic communications and postal services. The Regulatory Authority is an independent administrative structure with legal personality and financial and management autonomy. It carries out its missions in an independent, impartial, fair and transparent manner (Art. 113 of Law No. 2017-20).

Art. 76 of Law No. 2020-26 provides that a foreign candidate who is not a community enterprise and who plans to subcontract at least 30% of the contract's total value to a Beninese enterprise may be granted a margin of preference up to 10%.

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

In accordance with Art. 75 of Law No. 2020-26, a community preference of up to 15% of the bid amount must be granted to the bid submitted by a company that is a national of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). The preferential regime applies provided that:
- In the case of suppliers, if they offer goods whose manufacturing cost includes an added value for one of the member countries of the WAEMU of at least 30%;
- In the case of service providers or consultants resident in the WAEMU, if the service is valued at more than 5% of the value of the service or consultation provided.
In addition, the community preference scheme may only be granted to the legal entities referred to in this article:
- If more than half of their capital belongs to nationals, whether natural or legal persons, of one of the member states of the WAEMU.
- If half of their deliberative and management bodies are controlled or held by nationals of one of the member states of the WAEMU.
Temporary groupings of foreign operators concluded with natural or legal persons who are members of a state of the WAEMU may also benefit from community preference.

The Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU provides an updated framework aimed at encouraging online sales. The Directive has been implemented by the Chapters VI.-XII on Market Practices and Consumer Protection of the Code of Economic Law.

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