Paperless Trade Pilot Handbook – Road to a broader Digital Trade

“Paperless trade is no longer a distant aspiration; It is today’s most practical lever for cutting cost, time, and risk in cross-border commerce.”

In October 2025, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Digital Standards Initiative (DSI) released the Paperless Trade Pilot Handbook, a practical guide designed to help governments and businesses implement paperless trade systems. The handbook arrives at a critical time for global trade, marked by geopolitical uncertainty, disrupted supply chains, and growing pressure to improve efficiency and resilience in cross-border commerce.

The handbook outlines six essential steps for designing and executing effective pilot projects:

1. Define vision and objectives – Set a clear, measurable purpose aligned with stakeholder priorities.

2. Recruit key stakeholders – Build a balanced team of core experts and support roles.

3. Map the current trade process – Identify inefficiencies and assess digital readiness.

4. Develop the pilot framework – Define scope, milestones, and roles.

5. Assemble metrics for success – Use KPIs and OKRs to measure impact and align contributions.

6. Pilot and iterate – Launch, monitor, refine, and scale based on feedback.

The playbook emphasizes starting small, focusing on one corridor, process, or document and scaling based on results. It is designed for a broad community of digital trade advocates, including public agencies, banks, logistics providers, and technology platforms.

Connecting to Global Digital Trade Developments

The handbook is deeply connected to international efforts to modernize trade, particularly through the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR). MLETR provides a legal framework that gives electronic trade documents such as bills of lading and warehouse receipts, the same legal status as paper ones. This removes legal barriers to paperless trade and enables faster, more secure, and more efficient transactions.

Another key enabler is interoperability, the ability of legal, technical, and organizational systems to work together across borders. Interoperability ensures that electronic documents and data can be exchanged and recognized internationally, legal frameworks are aligned, and systems like customs and finance platforms can integrate seamlessly. Without it, digital trade remains fragmented and inefficient.

Together, MLETR and interoperability form the foundation for a globally harmonized digital trade environment. The ICC DSI’s mission is to turn these principles into practical implementation, and the handbook is a key tool in that effort.

Why This Matters for Dutch Businesses and Policymakers

The Netherlands, a major global trading hub, stands to gain significantly from adopting paperless trade. However, as of October 2025, the country has not yet fully incorporated digital trade into its Civil Code (Burgerlijk Wetboek). A draft bill, Bill No. 36 743, has been introduced to recognize electronic bills of lading (eBLs), aligning with MLETR. While this is a positive step, broader adoption is needed to cover other key trade documents.

The ICC Netherlands, along with a coalition of banks, businesses, and trade associations, has called on Parliament to accelerate MLETR adoption. The September 2025 white paper outlines the practical benefits and urges swift legislative action. You can access the white paper here: ICC Netherlands | September White Paper

Key benefits for the Netherlands include:

• Efficiency and Speed: A pilot between Rotterdam and Singapore showed that using eBLs can reduce document processing time from 6–10 days to under 24 hours.

• Cost Reduction and Trade Growth: SMEs could see up to a 35% drop in administrative costs and a 13% boost in trade, based on UK findings.

• Competitiveness: With countries like the UK and France already implementing MLETR, the Netherlands risks falling behind if it delays.

• Trade Finance Acceleration: Digital documents speed up financing processes, saving days in transaction time.

• Sustainability and Logistics Optimization: Digitalization reduces delays, lowers CO₂ emissions, and improves supply chain efficiency.

• Legal Certainty: Recognizing electronic documents gives businesses clarity and flexibility, allowing them to choose between paper and digital formats.

Call to Action for Dutch Policymakers

To fully realize the benefits of paperless trade, Dutch policymakers must act decisively. The introduction of Bill No. 36 743 is a promising start, but broader legislative reform is urgently needed to align the Civil Code with international standards like MLETR. Parliament should prioritize the recognition of all key electronic trade documents and ensure legal interoperability with global partners.

By accelerating digital trade legislation, the Netherlands can:

·       Cement its role as a leader in global commerce.

·       Empower SMEs with faster, cheaper, and more secure trade processes.

·       Enhance sustainability and supply chain resilience.

·       Ensure Dutch businesses remain competitive in a rapidly digitizing world.

Now is the time to move from pilot to policy.