Taiwan Improves Its Electronic Signature Law

This newsletter article by Lee and Li explains recent changes to Taiwan's Electronic Signatures Act (電子簽章法). These changes aim to make electronic signatures and documents more widely accepted and easier to use. Let's focus on two important points.

First, the article explains that electronic documents and signatures are now legally the same as printed ones and handwritten signatures. This means if a physical signature or paper document is legally valid, its electronic version is valid too. The new rules make it clear that electronic forms cannot be considered invalid just because they are electronic. This makes using electronic documents and signatures simpler and more reliable.

Second, the new rules encourage people to use electronic documents and signatures by removing the need for prior consent from the other party. Now, if someone wants to use electronic signatures, they can, as long as they give the other party a chance to object in advance. If the other party doesn’t object, it’s assumed they agree to use the electronic form. People can still stop using electronic signatures whenever they want, but any past actions done electronically remain valid. This change makes the process more flexible and user-friendly.

In summary, these updates to the ESA make electronic documents and signatures just as valid as their physical counterparts and simplify their use by removing the need for prior consent. This makes everything more streamlined and efficient, encouraging more people to adopt electronic signatures in their daily and business transactions.