Although electronic banking is rapidly overtaking direct bank-to-customer and bank-to-bank contact and seems to be moving forward without serious problems the law governing this telecommunication-based business is not always clearly defined in relation to certain issues that arise with ever-greater frequency, especially in cross-border transactions. This is the first book to investigate and present the applicable legal consensus for each of these important issues, based on existing legislation and relevant judicial decisions.

The legal issues in question arise from such events, activities, and actualities as the following, all of which are treated in this book:

determination of local jurisdiction applicability of contractual obligations; probative value of digital documents electronic evidence electronic money protection of privacy day-trading facilities web marketing of lending services electronic bills of lading Internet stock offerings electronic determination of title outsourcing of electronic banking functions Eighteen outstanding authors, bankers, lawyers, and academics contribute their expertise to elucidate the issues and their implications. They draw their legal analyses from international norms such as the UNCITRAL Model Law, relevant EC directives and draft directives, the United States Uniform Electronic Transaction Act (UETA) and E-Sign Act and other national laws, as well as from numerous court decisions in Europe and the United States.

The essays are based on papers originally presented at a conference sponsored by the Law Centre for European and International Cooperation (R.I.Z.) and held at Cologne in April 2001.

Legal Issues in Electronic Banking will be of great value to anyone involved in banking or financial services. It could be said that what it sets forth is nothing less than the future mode of financial transactions.