Uncitral and the Draft Model Law on Legal Aspects of Edi and Related Means of Communication - What Is Uncitral?, History, The Draft Model Law

In the old days, international trade relied exclusively on paper documents, and over the years an international consensual framework evolved to facilitate trade by this means. However, with the development of sophisticated information technology—and particularly the Internet—international commerce was forced to readjust itself to accommodate a new technological and economic environment. The growth of electronic data interchange (EDI) as a means of transmitting data—transaction specifications, contracts, order forms, legal documents, and so on—between companies across borders necessitated an international legal consensus. The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) was charged with establishing such a framework.