According to Art. 4 of Law No. 8-1959, other than Libyans and public corporations, only foreigners who fit the following conditions may apply for a patent in Libya: natural persons who reside in Libya or have industrial or commercial companies in Libya or who are citizens of a country that treats Libya reciprocally, or who reside in these countries or have a real physical residence there, as well as entities who are established in Libya or countries with reciprocal treatment. Art. 49 stipulates that applicants who have filed to obtain a patent in one of the countries that treat Libya reciprocally and wish to apply for the patent in Libya need a local representative.

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

Libya has a copyright regime under the Law No. 9 of 1968, issuing the Copyright Protection Law. However, the exceptions do not follow the fair use or fair dealing model, therefore limiting the lawful use of copyrighted work by others. Arts. 14-17 list the exceptions, which include copying articles in newspapers and periodicals, statements or speeches on television and radio, short quotations in school books, among others.

Libya is not a signatory of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) of 1996 and its 2015 expansion (ITA II). In fact, Libya is not a Member of the WTO.

Under Art. 1 of the Law on the Boycott of Israel, any natural or legal person is prohibited from entering into agreements, whether directly or indirectly, with individuals or entities residing in Israel, holding Israeli nationality, or acting on its behalf, as well as with national or foreign companies that maintain interests, branches, or general agencies in Israel. In addition, Art. 18 of the Administrative Contracts Regulation mandates that applicants for administrative contracts comply with decisions issued by the competent authorities regarding the boycott of any state or the prohibition of dealings therewith, and requires that every such contract include a clause obliging the parties to adhere to these decisions and accept their consequences.

Circular 4-2023 requests all public companies and government agencies funded from the general budget to commit to giving priority to supplies from the local market, especially those manufactured and produced locally when contracting for the procurement of materials and supplies they need.

Art. 106 of the Administrative Contracts Regulation stipulates that contractors are required to use nationally sourced materials and products of local origin, including those that are manufactured or semi-manufactured domestically, as well as other materials and equipment available on the local market, provided that such items conform to the agreed technical specifications and are offered at competitive prices.

It is reported that procurement processes are frequently characterised by opacity and fragmentation across multiple agencies, with a recurrent reliance on non-competitive procedures and limited public disclosure of procurement plans, contract awards, and implementation outcomes. It is further reported that foreign enterprises regard corruption as a significant impediment to foreign direct investment, which remains pervasive across virtually all sectors of the economy, particularly within government procurement.

Libya is not a party to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA), nor does it have observer status. In fact, Libya is not a Member of the WTO.

South Africa does not implement any de minimis threshold, which is the minimum value of goods below which customs do not charge duties. However, it is reported that there is an informal threshold of USD 35.

The Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) provides a comprehensive framework for consumer protection that also applies to online transactions. Section 43 of the Act establishes specific requirements for online retailers and other suppliers of goods and services who conduct transactions with consumers over the Internet or other electronic channels.

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

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