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Singapore Signs UN Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts 
Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 04:00 PM

In a special event held in New York, Singapore along with China and Sri Lanka the United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts 6 July 2006.

The three countries joined the Central African Republic, Lebanon and Senegal as signatories.

The Convention was prepared by the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and adopted by the General Assembly in November 2005. As the core legal body of the UN system in the field of international trade law, the Convention is aimed to enhance legal certainty and commercial predictability where electronic communications are used in international contracts.

Singapore's Ministry of The Information, Communications and The Arts says the signing reaffirms Singapore's commitment to establish itself as a trusted hub for electronic commerce, by aligning its ETA with international standards.

Extensive public consultations were carried out in a review of Singapore's ETA with a view to adopting the Convention. The Ministry says a final consultation on the proposed amendments to the ETA will be conducted shortly.

MICA's Press Release:

SINGAPORE JOINS HANDS WITH UNCITRAL TO BOOST ELECTRONIC COMMERCE

Electronic commerce in Singapore will benefit from even greater legal and business certainties when the country signs the latest Convention by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) [1] on 6 July 2006. The Convention was signed by Mr Vanu Gopalan Menon, Singapore’s UN Permanent Representative on behalf of the Singapore Government.

2. The Convention, which Singapore played a part in developing [2], aims to further facilitate electronic commerce by building upon earlier UNCITRAL instruments such as the Model Law on Electronic Commerce. Singapore was one of the first countries in the world to base its Electronic Transactions Act (ETA) on this Model in 1998. The signing today reaffirms Singapore’s commitment to establish itself as a trusted hub for electronic commerce, by aligning its ETA with international standards.

3. Extensive public consultations were carried out in a review of Singapore’s ETA, with a view to adopting the Convention. A final consultation on the proposed amendments to the ETA will be conducted shortly.

4. For more information on the UNCITRAL’s Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts, please see the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs’ media release at: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/lt4395.doc.htm

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS,
6 JULY 2006

Contact person: Ms Chong Shu Ying
Assistant Manager, Corporate Communications
DID: (65) 6837 9623
Fax: (65) 6837 9837
E-mail: chong_shu_ying@mica.gov.sg

Notes to Editor:

1 The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) does its work through six working groups, including a Working Group on E-Commerce. Singapore’s ETA is based on the Model Law on Electronic Commerce (1996), which now sets the framework for electronic laws in many countries.

2 Singapore was the Chairperson of the Working Group IV on Electronic Commerce, as well as Vice-Chairperson at the 38th UNCITRAL plenary session. Both the Working Group and the plenary session contributed inputs to the Convention during its review.