ICC Netherlands welcomes adoption of eBL legislation

Electronic bills of lading now legally recognised under Dutch law, supporting faster and safer trade flows

ICC Netherlands welcomes yesterday’s adoption of legislation recognizing the legal validity of electronic bills of lading (eBLs), marking a milestone toward the digitalization of international trade. The reform ensures that eBLs attain functional equivalence with conventional paper bills of lading under Dutch law, providing businesses with legal certainty in domestic and international freight transport.

A bill of lading plays a central role in global trade, serving as a document of title, a contract of carriage, and a receipt for the goods. Historically, the physical transfer of paper bills among multiple parties has slowed transactions and increased exposure to errors, loss and fraud.

The shift to eBLs has the potential to transform trade operations by overcoming the limitations of paper-based documentation. “With eBLs, documents can be transferred instantly, accelerating trade flows and reducing transaction times from days to hours,” says ICC Netherlands Director General Laure Jacquier. “At the same time, eBLs improve security by minimising the risks of fraud, duplication and loss. They also support sustainability by cutting paper use and energy consumption.”

Until now, Dutch trade had largely centred on paper-based documentation, while several leading economies have already incorporated electronic transferable records into domestic law. By formally recognizing eBLs, the reform brings Dutch trade law closer to international digital trade standards, aligning with the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR).

ICC Netherlands has long advocated for the digitalization of trade and views today’s reform as a critical first step. While the legislation is limited in scope, addressing bills of lading only, further legal recognition will be needed to cover other transferable trade documents. Achieving this will also require interoperability across digital platforms and jurisdictions, alignment of standards, and active adoption among key stakeholders.

Jacquier concludes: “ICC Netherlands will continue to work closely with government and industry to accelerate this transition toward secure, interoperable and fully digital trade that will strengthen the Netherlands’ position in the global economy.”

About MLETR

The UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR), adopted in 2017, is the leading international framework for enabling the legal use of electronic transferable documents in trade, such as electronic bills of lading. It establishes that electronic records can have the same legal effect as paper-based documents, based on the principles of functional equivalence, technology neutrality, and the use of exclusive control over a digital record as a substitute for physical possession. MLETR supports the development of secure, interoperable digital trade systems across jurisdictions.