It is reported that Brunei retains discretion to screen investment proposals to ensure alignment with national development priorities and broader national interests. The Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) is described as the principal agency for promoting and facilitating foreign investment, including by evaluating proposals, coordinating with relevant government agencies, and securing project approvals through the government’s Foreign Direct Investment and Downstream Industry (FDIDI) governance arrangements. Under this framework, the Invest in Brunei Darussalam Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Action and Support Centre (FAST), established under the FDIDI Steering Committee, supports the review process by facilitating inter-agency coordination and investor requirements, with proposals ultimately assessed through the FDIDI working/steering structure.
Moreover, it is reported that both domestic and foreign investments in sectors where the State is a major service provider, such as telecommunications, may require approval from the relevant sector authority.

Brunei is a party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

The Emergency (Copyright) Order of 1999 provides a clear regime of copyright exceptions that follow the fair dealing model, which enables the lawful use of copyrighted work by others without obtaining permission. Sections 33-34 list the exceptions, which include the use for research, private study, criticism, and news reporting, among others.

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

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

Brunei does not have a comprehensive framework in place that provides effective protection of trade secrets, but trade secrets may be protected under contracts and by an action in breach of confidence as the country follows the common law model.

According to Art. 22 of the Telecommunications Order 2001, the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) may direct any telecommunications licensee to coordinate and cooperate with another person, in such manner and on such terms as the Authority may determine, in relation to the use or sharing of any telecommunications installation, plant, system, or part thereof.
In addition, acting under the powers conferred by Section 26(1) of the Telecommunications Order 2001, AITI has issued the Code of Practice for Competition in the Telecommunications Sector (Competition Code), which further establishes infrastructure-sharing obligations, including those set out in Section 7.

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

The Government Procurement Guideline provides the procedural framework governing the conduct and implementation of public procurement and tendering, as set out in Part 4 of the Financial Regulations. In this regard, procurement activities must comply not only with the Financial Regulations but also with any supplementary guidelines issued by the Ministry of Finance and Economy.
Within this framework, Section 7.1.13 of the Guideline establishes that the Head of Department and the Small Tender Board may incorporate the percentage of local employees as a criterion within the bid evaluation scoring matrix. The relevant benchmark percentages to be applied for this purpose are specified in Appendix 5 of the Guideline.

The Local Business Development (LBD) Policy Framework establishes a regulatory mandate requiring the incorporation of local content requirements into public procurement and contracting in the ICT sector, with the objective of ensuring that domestic suppliers are afforded fair and reasonable opportunities to participate in government projects.
The framework applies to all ICT companies engaged in government ICT projects, as well as to project owners and project managers within ministries and public agencies responsible for implementing e-government and ICT initiatives, who must ensure compliance with its provisions.
Substantively, the framework imposes differentiated local workforce participation thresholds based on the type, complexity, and value of the project. These include up to 100% local workforce participation for certain low-value “Basic” projects, 90% for higher-value “Basic” projects, 80% for “High Volume” projects, 70% for “Specialised” projects, and 50% for “Highly Specialised” projects.
In addition, the framework requires that LBD obligations be expressly incorporated into tender documentation and contractual arrangements. These obligations encompass, inter alia, requirements relating to the recruitment and training of local employees, local content expenditure and participation, and the reporting and monitoring of compliance. Compliance is subject to ongoing reporting requirements, including submission through designated government systems, and non-compliance may result in sanctions affecting future participation in public ICT tenders, including potential exclusion.

It is reported that state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in Brunei, administered by Darussalam Assets under the Ministry of Finance and Economy, occupy a dominant position in key sectors of the economy, including telecommunications. These entities are reported to benefit from preferential treatment in government procurement processes, particularly in public tenders.

It is reported that, in Brunei Darussalam, tender awards exceeding BND 250,000 (approx. USD 180,000–200,000) require final approval by the Minister of Finance and Economy, based on the State Tender Board’s recommendation, a role held by the Sultan.

Brunei is not a party to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) nor does it have observer status.

Pursuant to Section 3.4 of the Licensing and Regulatory Framework, foreign persons are prohibited from holding a majority shareholding or exercising control, whether directly or indirectly, in a company applying for a licence to provide telecommunications services. This restriction applies to both Infrastructure Provider for the Telecommunications Industry (INTI) licences and Service Provider for the Telecommunications Industry (SETI) licences.