Government organises a national workshop on e-commerce and electronic transferable records
Vice Minister of Trade and Industry Augusto Júnior Trindade launched today, March 24th, 2026, in Dili, the National Workshop on Advancing Digital Trade for Economic Development, with a focus on implementing the Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR) in Timor-Leste. 
The workshop brings together representatives from public institutions responsible for customs, finance, transportation, justice, and digital infrastructure, with the goal of evaluating the progress of implementing the current legal framework and identifying measures for its practical enforcement.
At the opening session, the Vice Minister highlighted that Timor-Leste has already established a legal framework aligned with the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records, which legally recognises electronic commercial documents, including transferable instruments. However, he pointed out that this framework is not yet fully operational and that electronic records are still not used in commercial transactions.
Among the main constraints identified are limited coordination between institutions, a lack of procedures and technical guidelines, limited institutional capacity, and a lack of pilot initiatives, particularly in the financial and logistics sectors.
“The priority now is to shift from legal preparation to practical implementation,” said the Vice Minister.
The workshop provided a platform for recognising institutional challenges and defining specific steps to enhance coordination and implementation among public entities.
The Vice Minister also emphasised the contribution of international partners, particularly the support provided by the Government of the United Kingdom through the ASEAN–UK Economic Integration Programme.
The initiative is part of the regional digital transformation, including the ongoing negotiations for the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement, which is expected to be finalised in November 2026 and aims to promote paperless trade, digital interoperability, and the facilitation of cross-border transactions.
The workshop was organised with support from the ASEAN–UK Economic Integration Programme, in collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat.
