Legal status
Electronic bills of lading in Paraguay
Paraguay gives electronic transferable documents the same legal effect as paper under Ley N° 6822, promulgated on 30 December 2021 and in force from 1 May 2022; the law covers transferable documents generally and does not name bills of lading.
- Status
- In force
- Instrument
- Ley N° 6822 de los servicios de confianza para las transacciones electrónicas, del documento electrónico y los documentos transmisibles electrónicos
- MLETR-based
- Yes
- Enacted
- 30 Dec 2021
- In force since
- 1 May 2022
- Scope
- Title IV (arts. 78–95) applies to electronic transferable documents generally: any electronic equivalent of a paper transferable document or title that entitles the holder to claim performance of the obligation it states, which in principle includes bills of lading, bills of exchange and promissory notes (none is listed by name). Article 80 excludes publicly offered securities and other investment instruments.
In more detail
Title IV follows the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records: an electronic document satisfies a paper requirement where a reliable method ensures its identification, control and integrity, and control takes the place of possession and its transfer. Paraguay is listed on the UNCITRAL MLETR status page with the year 2021. Unlike the Model Law, signatures on electronic transferable documents must be qualified electronic signatures, and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce is the enforcement authority.
What remains unclear
Articles 87 and 95 require the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to issue rules on reliability and on the supervision and accreditation body for electronic transferable documents; it is not clear whether such rules have been issued beyond Decreto N° 7576/2022. Article 104 sets entry into force four months after promulgation, and the Poder Judicial gives that date as 1 May 2022.
Sources
- Ley Nº 6822 / De los servicios de confianza para las transacciones electrónicas, del documento electrónico y los documentos transmisibles electrónicosBiblioteca y Archivo Central del Congreso de la Nación (BACN), Paraguay · published 4 Jan 2022 · accessed 16 Oct 2026supports: status, instrument, MLETR basis, enacted, in force since, scope, summary
- Status: UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (2017)UNCITRAL · accessed 16 Oct 2026supports: MLETR basis, summary
- Desde hoy entra en vigencia Ley N° 6822/21Poder Judicial de la República del Paraguay · published 1 May 2022 · accessed 16 Oct 2026supports: status, in force since, summary