Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73not60

§7031 Principles Governing the Use of Electronic Signatures in International Transactions

Title 15 › Chapter 96— ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES IN GLOBAL AND NATIONAL COMMERCE › Subchapter III— PROMOTION OF INTERNATIONAL ELECTRONIC COMMERCE › § 7031

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Commerce must promote the worldwide use and acceptance of electronic signatures and work to remove barriers to electronic-signature commerce in a way that follows section 7001. The main ideas are: use parts of the 1996 UN Model Law to cut paper rules; let parties pick how to prove identity and how to set it up and have those choices recognized; allow parties to prove in court that their methods and transactions are valid; and treat foreign methods fairly. The Secretary must consult users, providers, and others. The terms “electronic record” and “electronic signature” mean what section 7006 says.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §7031

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The Secretary of Commerce shall promote the acceptance and use, on an international basis, of electronic signatures in accordance with the principles specified in paragraph (2) and in a manner consistent with section 7001 of this title. The Secretary of Commerce shall take all actions necessary in a manner consistent with such principles to eliminate or reduce, to the maximum extent possible, the impediments to commerce in electronic signatures, for the purpose of facilitating the development of interstate and foreign commerce.

(2)The principles specified in this paragraph are the following:

(A)Remove paper-based obstacles to electronic transactions by adopting relevant principles from the Model Law on Electronic Commerce adopted in 1996 by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law.

(B)Permit parties to a transaction to determine the appropriate authentication technologies and implementation models for their transactions, with assurance that those technologies and implementation models will be recognized and enforced.

(C)Permit parties to a transaction to have the opportunity to prove in court or other proceedings that their authentication approaches and their transactions are valid.

(D)Take a nondiscriminatory approach to electronic signatures and authentication methods from other jurisdictions.

(b)In conducting the activities required by this section, the Secretary shall consult with users and providers of electronic signature products and services and other interested persons.

(c)As used in this section, the terms “electronic record” and “electronic signature” have the same meanings provided in section 7006 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 7031

Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60