Paperless Trade : Opportunities, Challenges and Solutions

A "digital divide" threatens the global trade regime. And it is not narrowing - it is rapidly becoming an unbridgeable chasm. Nor is this a problem merely for developing countries: the headlong trend toward dematerialisation of trade documents in the developed world will grind to a halt unless all trading countries without exception possess the legal and operational ability to participate in paperless trade. This work not only describes the obstacles to universal support for paperless trade, but also provides solutions that can be implemented if stakeholders make the collective effort to achieve this goal. Dr. Laryea investigates such central issues as the following: legal problems and security risks not encountered in paper documentation; accommodating low-tech problems with electronic documentation; and funding the construction of information and communication technology infrastructure in developing countries. The presentation focuses on each of the essential contract documents in turn, from the quotation to the documentary credit, explaining exactly how the electronic versions of each work (particularly in terms of security), and why each is desirable.