International organisations, particularly trade organisations, were among the first to recognise the significance of the electronic commerce revolution and the corresponding need to provide rules and guidance. Several of these organisations' responses have become international practice or law. The number and extent of organisations studying, reporting and implementing plans in relation to electronic commerce is astonishing. This chapter briefly examines some of the many electronic commerce policies implemented by selected international organisations.

As the methods and means of trading evolve in a changing technological and social environment, traders must meet the needs and demands of ever-developing communities. International trade has to deal with distance, varying modes of shipping, packaging, containerisation and time delay as well as different languages, customs, laws and infrastructure. Commercial parties must adjust to new modes of communication, and new industry practices. Banking practices, in particular, have become more sophisticated. In all fields, documents no longer have to be physically delivered and the requirement for written documentation to establish bona fides is diminishing.

Electronic commerce is by its nature ‘international’. This means that the laws of one nation state will impact on those of others; that impact will vary according to each particular nation's place and importance in the world of international trade. Electronic commerce, as we have seen, raises questions regarding a number of issues: the security of transactions, standards, protection of intellectual property, taxation, trade law, privacy and many others.