usedtodescribe theuseofcomputers forbusiness applications. Inrecent years,theterminology generally usedhaschanged to"electronic data interchange", especially inthecontext ofthecomputer-to-computer movement ofbusiness information bytelecommunications. Throughout theremainder of thisreport, theterm"electronic datainterchange" oritsacronym "EDI"will beused. 8.Atypical application ofEDIistheexchange ofcommercial dataina bilateral relationship between trading partners. Itcanberealized eitherby adirectconnection between computers ofthecommunicating parties orthrough theintermediary computer ofoneormorethirdpartyservice providers. One significant characteristic ofEDIisthatthedatabeingcommunicated is structured intostandard formats, permitting thedatatobeexchanged and processed inthereceiving computer without beingre-keyed. Asinternational standards havebeenadopted andareincreasingly usedforcomputer network architectures andEDImessage formats, thedatacanbetransmitted irrespective oftheparticular hardware orsoftware usedateither endofthe transmission. 9.Thepresent report, whichconstitutes apreliminary andnon-exhaustive studyonthetopic,servesthreepurposes: thefirstistoupdate someofthe information initially givenaboutADPinthe1985report; thesecondisto describe briefly someofthelegalissuesthatarerelated totheformation of contracts byelectronic means;thethirdistooutline someofthesolutions thathavebeenorarecurrently beingdeveloped forthepurpose of accommodating EDIinthelawofcontracts. Wherenecessary, consideration is giventosomelegalissuesthatarenotstrictly linkedtotheformation of contracts. Forexample, suchissuesastheformofinvoices (seeparagraphs 28and40below)arisefromtheimplementation ofcontracts formedby electronic means. Nevertheless, theymustbeaddressed inthisstudyasa consequence oftheirpossible impact ontheincreased useofEDI. I.THEREQUIREMENT OFAWRITING A.General remarks •10.LegalrulesinmanyStatesrequire certain transactions tobeconcluded inwriting. Inthe1985reportthatledtotheadoption oftheabovestated UNCITRAL recommendation, therequirement ofawriting innational statutes as wellasincertain international conventions oninternational tradelawwas identified asonemajorobstacle totheincreasing useofEDI.Someofthose national statutes arementioned inthe1985report ~/andintheTEDISstudy (seeparagraphs 32to41below). 11.Ingeneral, itcanbenotedthat,wheretherequirement ofawriting is contained incontract law,itmayhaveoneofthreeconsequences. Inone situation, awriting isrequired asacondition totheexistence orthe validity ofthelegalactitbears. Consequently, thenon-existence ofa writing entails thenullity ofthelegalact.Inasecondsituation, a writing isrequired bylawforevidentiary purposes. Acontract ofthatkind canbevalidly concluded bytheparties without awriting beingrequired, but theenforceability ofthecontract islimited by ageneral rulethatrequires theexistence andcontents ofthecontract tobeevidenced byawriting inA/CN.9/333 English Page6 caseoflitigation. Someexceptions tothatrulemayexist(seeparagraph below). Inathirdsituation, awriting isneededtoproduce somespecific legalresultbeyondthatofmerelyevidencing thecontract. Thisisfor example thecaseoftheaircargocarriage contract underthe1929 Warsaw Convention. 101Underthistext,theissuance ofanairwaybill isnot required asacondition forentering intoacontract forthecarriage of goods,butitisrequired togivethecarrier thebenefit oftheprovisions of theConvention providing forlimitation ofliability ofthecarrier. That rulewillbechanged whenthe1975Montreal Additional Protocol No. 4enters intoforce. UnderarticleIIIoftheprotocol, issuance ofanairwaybill willnolonger berequired forthecarrier tobenefit fromtheprovisions limiting itsliability.• 12.Amongthereasons fortherequirement ofawriting areadesiretoreduce disputes byensuring thattherewouldbetangible evidence oftheexistence andcontents ofthecontract; tohelptheparties beawareoftheconsequences oftheirentering intoacontract; topermitthirdpartyreliance onthe document; andtofacilitate subsequent auditforaccounting, taxorregulatory purposes. 13.Whatconstitutes a"writing" isitself amatterofdebate. Thewordhas
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the use of electronic data interchange (EDI) in business transactions, specifically in the context of international trade and commerce. It highlights the need for electronic contracts and the challenges posed by the requirement of writing in contract law. The text also touches on the topic of international conventions and protocols related to trade and transportation. Based on this analysis, it is likely that the text falls under the category of International Trade or Transport and Communication.

**Category**
Transport and communication, International trade