The use of electronic commerce in international trade is growing by leaps and bounds. No one can dispute the need for a system of rules to guide countries as well as private commercial parties through the many new developments and issues that arise. The United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts (ECC), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2005 and currently undergoing the ratification process, provides such a system. This book is a guide and resource on the Convention: its evolution, interpretation, and relationship to domestic laws throughout the world.The book represents the outcome of a conference held at the Leibniz University of Hannover in September 2007. It consists of an introduction to the drafting of the Convention, expert commentary on each article, and perspectives in the context of domestic and substantive law.