Legislation

  • India’s Landmark Maritime Overhaul: Understanding the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025

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    India has entered a new era of maritime governance with the enactment of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, which received the assent of the President on 18 August 2025. This legislation marks a turning point for the country’s shipping and trade sectors, as it replaces the Merchant Shipping Act of 1958, a law that had… Read more

  • France Becomes First European Union Country to Fully Embrace Digital Trade Instruments

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    Paris, August 14, 2025 – France has taken a historic leap into the digital age of global trade. With the publication of Decree No. 2025-811 in the Journal Officiel, the country has fully transposed the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR) into its national legal framework. The reform, long awaited by the trade… Read more

  • Navigating the Legal Landscape of Distributed Ledger Technology in Trade: A UNCITRAL Perspective

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    The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) has prepared a draft guidance document addressing the legal issues surrounding the use of distributed ledger technology (DLT) in international trade. This document, developed through several sessions of UNCITRAL, aims to provide commercial operators with a comprehensive overview of the legal considerations when implementing DLT in… Read more

  • Advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area: Strategic Actions for Sustainable Development

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    The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) represents one of the most ambitious initiatives for economic integration on the continent. As outlined in the Economic Report on Africa 2025 (ERA 2025), this agreement has the potential to reshape Africa’s trade landscape, fostering intra-African commerce, boosting industrialization, and enhancing global competitiveness. However, to realize its full… Read more

  • Analysis of “Digital Public Infrastructure and Development: A World Bank Group Approach”

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    This World Bank report, published in March 2025, serves as a strategic framework for developing Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) as a foundational element of digital transformation. It emphasizes DPI as a set of shared digital systems—such as digital identity, payments, and data-sharing—that governments and private sector players can use to create scalable, efficient, and inclusive… Read more

  • Analysis of the Asian Economic Integration Report 2025: Harnessing the Benefits of Regional Cooperation and Integration

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    The Asian Economic Integration Report 2025 (AEIR 2025), published by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), marks the 10th anniversary of this flagship publication. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the deepening regional integration in Asia and the Pacific over the past two decades, focusing on trade, global value chains (GVCs), investment, finance, and the… Read more

  • Navigating the Intersection of International Trade Law and Global Data Governance: Challenges and Strategies

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    In an era where data has become the backbone of economic growth and innovation, the intersection of international trade law and global data governance presents both opportunities and challenges. The growing digital economy relies heavily on cross-border data flows, yet regulatory frameworks vary significantly across jurisdictions. As countries implement data protection, cybersecurity, and competition laws,… Read more

  • Achieving Australia’s Digital Economy Strategy for Trade by 2030

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    Australia’s ambition to become a leading digital economy by 2030 requires comprehensive modernization of its trade and finance systems. The shift to a digital economy will involve leveraging emerging technologies, aligning with global standards, and implementing key legal frameworks. This article explores how Australia can achieve this vision, emphasizing legal reforms, technological innovations, and the… Read more

  • Historic Milestone in Africa’s Digital Trade: AfCFTA Finalizes Legal Framework

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    On 16 February 2025, the African Union (AU) marked a historic milestone in the continent’s digital economy. Exactly one year after adopting the Protocol on Digital Trade, the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the AU formally adopted eight (8) Annexes to the Protocol, completing the comprehensive legal architecture of the African… Read more

  • A Path to Paperless Trade: Analysing the Legal Gaps and Economic Benefit of Adopting or Maintaining a Legal Framework that Takes into Account the MLETR

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    APEC has an opportunity to realise the significant benefits arising from paperless trade in the region. APEC wide adoption of the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR), or equivalent arrangements, can help to achieve this. The benefits of moving along this path to paperless trade are significant – estimated to be as high… Read more