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 has not signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty.

Libya has not signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty.

Libya lacks a comprehensive regime for the protection of trade secrets.

There is no obligation for passive infrastructure sharing in Libya to deliver telecom services to end users, and it is not practised in both the mobile and fixed sectors based on commercial agreements.

Foreign investors face no specific restrictions under Law No. (22) of 1378 FDP (2010 AD) on Telecommunications. However, it is reported that the fixed telecom sector is reserved exclusively for the state-owned Libyan Post Telecommunications and Information Technology Company (LPTIC). The regulatory framework defines three licensing categories in the telecommunications sector:
- Category I: Required for establishing or operating public telecom networks or infrastructure that uses national resources, such as frequency spectrum. This includes fixed and mobile networks, international communications, and any other services designated by the Authority.
- Category II: Covers public telecom services that rely on first-category networks or provide additional services using national resources (e.g., numbering) without using natural resources. Examples include ISPs, satellite communication, and value-added services.
- Category III: Applies to private telecom networks or services, either separate from or using capacity from public networks. This includes services like automated vehicle management systems, satellite-based personal communications, and importing radio equipment.
The regulator encourages private sector involvement in Category II and III services but reserves Category I fixed telecom services exclusively for the LPTIC, preventing private operators from entering this sub-sector.

The Libyan government retains significant ownership in the telecommunications sector, primarily through the Libyan Post, Telecommunication and Information Technology Company (LPTIC), one of the country’s largest state-owned enterprises. Established under Art. 1 of Decree No. 63 of 2005 as a public holding company affiliated with the General Authority for Information, Documentation and Communications, LPTIC assumed control of the General Company for Post and Telecommunications, Al Madar Company, Libya Telecommunications and Technology Company, and Libyana Company pursuant to Art. 5 of the same decree. Al Madar Al Jadeed, founded in 1995 as Libya’s first mobile network operator and data provider, remains government-owned, while Libya Telecommunications and Technology Company, created in 1997, currently delivers integrated services including Internet connectivity, voice communications, hosting, and data transfer. Other entities, such as Libyana, also continue to operate under the LPTIC umbrella.

Art. 18 stipulates that foreign participation in joint ventures may not exceed 75%; however, this limit may be raised to a maximum of 89% by a reasoned decision of the Minister.

Foreign investors face no specific restrictions under Law No. (22) of 1378 FDP (2010 AD) on Telecommunications. However, it is reported that the fixed telecom sector is reserved exclusively for the state-owned Libyan Post Telecommunications and Information Technology Company (LPTIC). The regulatory framework defines three licensing categories in the telecommunications sector:
- Category I: Required for establishing or operating public telecom networks or infrastructure that uses national resources, such as frequency spectrum. This includes fixed and mobile networks, international communications, and any other services designated by the Authority.
- Category II: Covers public telecom services that rely on first-category networks or provide additional services using national resources (e.g., numbering) without using natural resources. Examples include ISPs, satellite communication, and value-added services.
- Category III: Applies to private telecom networks or services, either separate from or using capacity from public networks. This includes services like automated vehicle management systems, satellite-based personal communications, and importing radio equipment.
The regulator encourages private sector involvement in Category II and III services but reserves Category I fixed telecom services exclusively for the LPTIC, preventing private operators from entering this sub-sector.

Art. 5 of Decree No. 944 stipulates that foreign nationals are prohibited from engaging in import and export activities, which are reserved exclusively for domestic persons.

Under Art. 23 of Decree No. 944, foreign companies may establish branches in Libya provided that a Libyan national is appointed as either the branch manager or the deputy branch manager. This requirement applies to the sectors identified in Art. 21, which include telecommunications and information technology.

According to Resolution No. 499 of 2010, permission to establish, develop, rehabilitate, manage or operate an investment project is issued by a decision from the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MET) based on the recommendation of the Privatization and Investment Board (PIB), which enjoys exclusive jurisdiction to issue licenses (Art. 6). After obtaining the approval, the investor applies for the investment register (Art. 20). It is reported that the PIB’s screening process for investors and criteria are not published or transparent. It is further reported that the PIB says it evaluates bids or proposals for their compatibility with Libya’s national security, sovereignty, and economic interests.

According to Art. 5 of Resolution No. 499 of 2010, the minimum value of foreign capital, or in the case of participation with national capital in the investment project, is LYD 5 million (approx. USD 1 Million).

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.