Exclusivity In Distribution And Agency Arrangements In Egypt

Egypt, unlike other Middle Eastern jurisdictions, does not treat exclusivity in dealership arrangements as a statutory default. Exclusivity is generally permissible in dealership and distribution agreements under Egyptian law; however, it arises only by agreement between the parties, not by operation of law.

Commercial agencies in Egypt are governed by the Egyptian Commercial Agency Law, which is neutral on exclusivity. Distribution agreements, unlike agency agreements, are not governed by a dedicated statute. Instead, they fall under the general provisions of the Egyptian Civil Code and the Egyptian Commercial Code.

For both commercial agents and distributors, exclusivity is purely a matter of contract. Parties are generally free to agree on exclusive territories, customer groups, product lines, purchasing obligations, or non-compete provisions. Still, they are subject only to mandatory provisions of Egyptian law including the limits imposed by Egyptian competition regulation.