ABSTRACT
The use of electronic documents1 in international trade has been a subject ever since computers started becoming a part of business life. Electronic documents have many potential benefits to the business community. Thus, the United Nations Economic Council for Europe (UNECE) in the synopsis for its electronic trade documents project estimated that the use of paper documents in world trade costs US$ 275-550 billion per year.2 Using electronic alternatives can therefore entail substantial benefits both in terms of transaction speed and ease and of costs.
