digitallawJournal of Digital Technologies and LawJournal of Digital Technologies and Law2949-2483Kazan Innovative University named after V. G. Timiryasov10.21202/jdtl.2023.45gvbwbidigitallaw-311Research ArticleARTICLESСТАТЬИSmart Contracts and International Trade: European Legal Strategies for Managing ChallengesСмарт-контракты в международной торговле: европейские правовые стратегии преодоления трудностейhttps://orcid.org/0009-0004-6820-8788Ламаппулаге ДоннТ. Д.Lamappulage DonnTh. D.

Ламаппулаге Донн Тарика Дишани - магистр права, магистр наук, Гринвичский университет

Лондон, Парк Роу, SE10 9LS, Старый Королевский военно-морской колледж

Tharika D. Lamappulage Donn - MSc, Master Student, University of Greenwich.

Old Royal Naval College, Park Row, London SE10 9LS

tharikadishani@gmail.comГринвичский университетВеликобританияUniversity of GreenwichUnited Kingdom2023151220231410421057Copyright © Lamappulage Donn T.D., 20232023Ламаппулаге Донн Т.Д.Lamappulage Donn T.D.Данная работа распространяется под лицензией Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.https://www.lawjournal.digital/jour/article/view/311Objective

Objective: the automation inherent in smart contracts makes them an attractive tool for global trade applications, especially for the automation of transactions. The prospects foreseeable will significantly impact international economic relations and the transformation of international trade rules. This fact determines the study objective - to identify the possibilities of transforming the said rules and the political and legal strategies adopted by European countries to implement smart contracts in international trade.

Methods

Methods: the study, devoted to the current international trade regulation in the context of contracts digitalization and spread of smart contracts, uses a combination of formal-legal and comparative-legal methods. They allow researching the international trade rules, analyzing and comparing the UK and the EU political and legal positions on the smart contracts introduction in international trade, as well as predicting the legal consequences of using smart contracts in international trade.

Results

Results: the research shows that the proliferation of smart contracts has significant implications for international trade and its regulation. Smart contracts have numerous advantages, such as increased efficiency, reduced costs, and wide availability. However, they may lead to legal challenges when harmonizing traditional legal principles with the digital environment, in particular concerning the authentication of subjects, enforceability under specific circumstances of a case, and jurisdictional issues.

Scientific novelty

Scientific novelty: the current literature on the transformation of international trade regulation in the context of digitalization processes and the spread of smart contracts is complemented by the results of a comparative analysis of the legal positions existing in the European legal space and developed on the basis of problems, lessons and achievements in the smart contracts implementation in international trade.

Practical significance

Practical significance: understanding the legal implications of smart contracts is important for businesses involved in international trade. The study provides insights into the UK and the EU legal positions from which guidance can be provided to companies navigating the digital landscape. Policymakers can also benefit from the findings when developing appropriate legal acts to balance the benefits of smart contracts with the need for legal certainty and protection in international trade.

Цель

Цель: присущая смарт-контрактам автоматизация делает их привлекательным инструментом для применения в сфере глобальной торговли, особенно с целью автоматизации транзакций. Прогнозируемая перспектива окажет серьезное влияние на международные экономические отношения и трансформацию правил международной торговли, что фокусирует настоящее исследование на выявлении возможностей трансформации указанных правил и принимаемых европейскими странами политико-правовых стратегий внедрения смарт-контрактов в международную торговлю.

Методы

Методы: исследование текущего состояния регулирования международной торговли в условиях процессов цифровизации, оцифровки контрактов и распространения смарт-контрактов основывается на совокупности формально-юридического и сравнительно-правового методов, позволяющих изучить правила международной торговли, проанализировать в сравнении политико-правовые позиции Великобритании и Европейского союза по вопросу внедрения смарт-контрактов в международную торговлю, а также спрогнозировать юридические последствия использования смарт-контрактов в указанной области (прогностический метод).

Результаты

Результаты: исследование показывает, что распространение смарт-контрактов имеет существенные последствия для международной торговли и ее регулирования. Обладая многочисленными преимуществами, такими как повышенная эффективность, снижение затрат и широкая доступность, они при согласовании традиционных правовых принципов с цифровой средой могут привести к юридическим проблемам, в частности, касающимся аутентификации субъектов, возможности принудительного исполнения от конкретных обстоятельств дела, вопросов юрисдикции.

Научная новизна

Научная новизна: имеющаяся литература по вопросам трансформации регулирования международной торговли в условиях процессов цифровизации и распространения смарт-контрактов дополняется результатами сравнительного анализа правовых позиций, имеющихся на европейском правовом пространстве и выработанных на основе проблем, уроков и достижений при внедрении смарт-контрактов в международную торговлю.

Практическая значимость

Практическая значимость: понимание юридических последствий смарт-контрактов имеет важное значение для предприятий, участвующих в международной торговле. Исследование дает представление о правовых позициях Великобритании и Европейского союза, на основе которых можно выработать рекомендации компаниям, ориентирующимся в цифровом ландшафте. Директивные органы также могут извлечь пользу из полученных результатов для разработки соответствующих правовых актов, которые уравновешивают преимущества смарт-контрактов с необходимостью правовой определенности и защитой в международной торговле.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.