Timeline
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Digital Assets, Electronic Trade Documents, and the Challenge of Private International Law
In June 2025, the Law Commission of England and Wales published Consultation Paper No. 273 on Digital assets and (electronic) trade documents in private international law, including Section 72 of the Bills of Exchange Act 1882. The paper addresses one of the most pressing questions in modern commerce: how should cross-border disputes involving blockchain, crypto-tokens,… Read more
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Digital Finance in Europe: Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Future Perspectives
The volume “Digital Finance in the EU: Navigating New Technological Trends and the AI Revolution”, published in cooperation between the European University Institute and the European Commission, explores how digitalisation and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping the European financial sector. This is not just a handbook for supervisory authorities but a… Read more
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Canada and the European Union (EU) are preparing to negotiate a Digital Trade Agreement (DTA) that could set new global standards for data governance, privacy, and innovation. While the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) laid the foundation for a modern transatlantic partnership, it did not fully address the digital economy’s complex dynamics. The upcoming… Read more
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Unlocking Europe’s Financial Data Future: Insights from the FiDA Debate
The European Union’s proposed Financial Data Access Regulation (FiDA) is emerging as a cornerstone in the ongoing transformation of Europe’s financial markets. The regulation aims to establish a comprehensive framework for data sharing across the financial sector, building on lessons from PSD2 and aligning with broader initiatives in open finance, digital identity, and the EU’s… Read more
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The World Trade Report 2025: Making Trade and AI Work Together to the Benefit of All, published by the World Trade Organization (WTO), explores one of the most pressing questions of our time: how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping international trade and whether it can serve as a driver of inclusive growth. The report highlights… Read more
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International trade still runs on paper. From bills of lading to customs declarations, stacks of documents follow goods as they move across borders. Despite the digital revolution, the majority of these processes remain analogue, slow, and expensive. The latest OECD Trade Policy Paper – The Digitalisation of Trade Documents and Processes: Going Paperless Today, Going… Read more
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The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) recently published a study titled “The Potential Use of Blockchain in International Trade and its Facilitation” (International Trade Series No. 188, 2025). The report highlights how blockchain technology can reshape cross-border trade by fostering transparency, traceability, and efficiency in global supply chains. A Disruptive Technology… Read more
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The European Union’s Global Gateway (GG) has been presented as the Union’s flagship initiative to mobilise up to €300 billion in sustainable infrastructure and connectivity investment worldwide between 2021 and 2027. More than four years into its implementation, however, the strategy still faces the challenge of moving from political ambition to practical delivery. A recent… Read more
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The recently published report Ten Wins for Trade 2025 highlights ten concrete ways in which international trade has delivered prosperity, growth, and improved livelihoods worldwide. Among these achievements, one of the most transformative—and increasingly urgent—is the shift towards digital and paperless trade. From Burden to Breakthrough For decades, trade transactions relied on paper-heavy processes: physical… Read more
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Thailand stands at a pivotal moment in its digital transformation journey. With ambitions to reach high-income status by 2027, the country views the digital economy as a critical driver of growth and resilience. Within this broader ambition, digital trade—the exchange of goods and services enabled by cross-border data flows—has emerged as both an opportunity and… Read more
