Henri Martius gains doctorate in Electronic Trade Law

Henri Martius gained his doctorate in 'Electronic trade law' on Friday 14 December. He concluded in his dissertation that tailoring present-day trade law to the digital era calls for achieving equity between written and electronic forms of communication. By maintaining a 'technology-neutral' approach to trade law, business transactions can be conducted more efficiently, faster and at lower cost.

Growth of the internet and e-mail means trade is taking on an increasingly electronic aspect. This has inevitable consequences for existing legal provisions and their application, particulary with respect to trade law. Henri believes that avoiding problems with electronic trade demands that regulations be crafted ways which are 'technology neutral'. His dissertation outlines the conditions allowing trade law to develop in this technology-neutral direction. In his opinion, achieving parity across various forms of media - whether written or electronic - offers the best solution.

Henri Martius (1979) graduated from Leiden University and the University of Oxford, in England. He is a researcher with the law school at the Open Universiteit Nederland and a lecturer at the Amsterdam Business School of the University of Amsterdam. Henri joined AKD's Corporate Law practice group some months ago to focus mainly on bank and share law. He is also an adviser to the firm's Scientific Bureau.