Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan On Electronic Document Circulation

Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan

ON ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT CIRCULATION

Article 1. Purpose of this Law The purpose of this Law is to regulate relations in the field of electronic document circulation.

Article 2. Legislation on Electronic Document Circulation Legislation on electronic document circulation consists of this Law and other legislative acts.

If international treaties of the Republic of Uzbekistan establish rules other than those provided for by the legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan on electronic document circulation, the rules of the international treaty shall apply.

Article 3. State Policy in the Field of Electronic Document Circulation State policy in the field of electronic document circulation is aimed at ensuring the wide application of electronic document circulation, protecting the rights and legitimate interests of participants in electronic document circulation, and developing standards, norms, and rules for the use of electronic documents.

Article 4. Electronic Document Circulation Electronic document circulation represents a set of processes for sending and receiving electronic documents through an information system.

Electronic document circulation may be used for concluding transactions (including concluding contracts), making payments, official and unofficial correspondence, and transmitting other information.

Article 5. Electronic Document An electronic document is information fixed in electronic form, confirmed by an electronic digital signature, and having other requisites of an electronic document that allow it to be identified.

An electronic document is created, processed, and stored using technical means and services of information systems and information technologies.

An electronic document must be created taking into account the possibility of its perception by participants in electronic document circulation.

Article 6. Requisites of an Electronic Document The mandatory requisites of an electronic document are:

• electronic digital signature;
• the name of a legal entity or the surname, first name, and patronymic of a physical person—the sender of the electronic document;
• the postal and electronic address of the sender of the electronic document;
• the date of its creation.

Other requisites of an electronic document may be established by legislation or by an agreement of the participants in electronic document circulation.

Article 7. Legal Force of an Electronic Document An electronic document is equated to a document on a paper carrier and has the same legal force as it.

Article 8. Original of an Electronic Document The original of an electronic document is each identical copy provided that its authenticity is confirmed in the established manner.

Article 9. Copy of an Electronic Document on a Paper Carrier An electronic document may have a copy on a paper carrier.

A copy of an electronic document on a paper carrier is certified and stored in the manner established by legislation.

Article 10. Participants in Electronic Document Circulation Participants in electronic document circulation are the sender of the electronic document and the recipient of the electronic document.

Information intermediaries may also participate in electronic document circulation.

Article 11. Sender of an Electronic Document The sender of an electronic document is a legal or physical person indicated in the requisites of the electronic document and sending the electronic document to the recipient of the electronic document.

Article 12. Recipient of an Electronic Document The recipient of an electronic document is a legal or physical person to whom the electronic document is addressed by the sender of the electronic document.

Article 13. Information Intermediary An information intermediary is a legal or physical person who, on a contractual basis, provides services related to the circulation of electronic documents.

An information intermediary is not entitled to change the content of electronic documents or the order of their use, unless otherwise provided by the contract with participants in electronic document circulation.

Article 14. Sending an Electronic Document An electronic document is considered sent if it is sent directly by the sender of the electronic document or its information intermediary.

If legislation or an agreement of the parties does not provide otherwise, the time of sending an electronic document is considered the time of its sending, which cannot be canceled by the sender of the electronic document.

Article 15. Receiving an Electronic Document If legislation or an agreement of the parties does not provide otherwise:

• the time of receiving an electronic document is considered the time of receipt of the electronic document at the electronic address through the information system specified by the recipient of the electronic document;
• an electronic document is considered received at the location of the recipient of the electronic document, even if the information system by means of which the electronic document was received is located in another place.

Article 16. Storage of Electronic Documents Electronic documents are subject to storage by participants in electronic document circulation in the manner established by legislation.

When storing electronic documents, the possibility of access to them and providing their copies on a paper carrier must be ensured.

The storage period of an electronic document must not be less than the period established for a document on a paper carrier of similar purpose, unless otherwise provided by legislation.

Article 17. Protection of Electronic Documents in Electronic Document Circulation Protection of electronic documents in electronic document circulation is carried out for the purpose of preventing damage to participants in electronic document circulation or other legal and physical persons in the manner established by legislation.

Article 18. Resolution of Disputes Disputes in the field of electronic document circulation are resolved in the manner established by legislation.

Article 19. Liability for Violation of Legislation on Electronic Document Circulation Persons guilty of violating the legislation on electronic document circulation bear responsibility in the established manner.

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan I. KARIMOV Tashkent, April 29, 2004, No. 611-II (Collection of Legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2004, No. 20, Art. 230)