According to Section 47 of the Data Protection Act, any individual or company that seeks to collect, transfer, or process personal data must have a certification as a data controller. The data controller is the representative in charge of processing personal data and must make an application for registration to the Commissioner. The Commissioner can reject the license if it reasonably believes that (a) the particulars proposed for inclusion in an entry in the register are insufficient or any other information required by the Commissioner either has not been furnished or is insufficient; (b) appropriate safeguards for the protection of the privacy of the data subjects concerned are not being, or will not continue to be, provided by the data controller; or (c) the person applying for registration is not fit and proper in the determination of the Commissioner.

There are reportedly 21 investment areas, including trading imports, that are designated exclusively for Saint Lucian nationals. However, authorities have observed that this restriction is not consistently enforced. Exemptions have been reported for substantial investments or when local investors either lack business interest or do not possess the necessary technology.

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

It is reported that the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, the executive authority for the supervision and administration of services in the telecommunications sector, is independent from the government in the decision-making process.

According to Art. 57 of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, regional or international open competitive tendering is only allowed in cases where sufficient competition does not exist in Saint Lucia and only above SDR 155,000 (approx. USD 241,000) for contracting goods and services (Schedule 3).

According to Art. 47 (e) of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, in instances of regional or international competitive tendering, the percentage of participation by nationals among key staff in the execution of the public procurement is taken into account as a criterion for the selection of the tenderer.

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

There are reportedly 21 investment areas, including trading imports, that are designated exclusively for Saint Lucian nationals. However, authorities have observed that this restriction is not consistently enforced. Exemptions have been reported for substantial investments or when local investors either lack business interest or do not possess the necessary technology.

It is reported that foreign investment projects in Saint Lucia require prior government approval. Non-CARICOM companies seeking to conduct business in Saint Lucia with an ownership stake exceeding 49% are required to obtain a trade licence from the Ministry of Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs or through Invest Saint Lucia (ISL). As also stated in Arts. 5 and 6 of the 1985 Trade Licences Act, licence applications are examined by the Trade Licence Advisory Board, which submits a recommendation to the Minister, who takes the final decision.

It is reported that the Patents Act, No. 16 of 2001 has not yet entered into force, as the implementing regulations have not been brought into effect. As a result, in practice, patents are not granted domestically. However, patent protection may be secured through the registration or extension of granted United Kingdom patents under the Commercial Code (Part I, Patents, Art. 660A and related provisions).

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

The Copyright Act has a clear regime of copyright exceptions that follows the fair dealing model, which enables the lawful use of copyrighted work by others without obtaining permission. Art. 55–57 lists the exceptions, which include research, private study, criticism, or review. In those cases where the purpose is unclear, the court is responsible for determining fair dealing.

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

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

The Protection Against Unfair Competition Act provides a comprehensive framework for the effective protection of trade secrets (Arts. 8-9). In addition, Art. 13 (g) of the Telecommunications Act mandates that records of trade secrets not be made available to the public for inspection.