· Gokcen OZKAN
Primary Legal Sources — Maritime eBL & e-Signature
Every legal claim on this site links back to a primary text. This is the index — the actual laws, model laws and regulations behind electronic bills of lading and e-signatures, with a plain-language note on what each one does. Verify us against the source.
Türkiye
Law No. 5070 on Electronic Signature (2004) — Establishes that a qualified electronic signature equals a handwritten one (Art. 5). But Art. 5(2) excludes negotiable instruments and guarantee contracts — so a bill of lading cannot be endorsed by e-signature.
Turkish Commercial Code No. 6102 (TTK) — Art. 1526(2) permits electronic creation and signing of bills of lading; Art. 1230 requires transfer of possession to transfer the rights in a negotiable instrument. Together, the legal machinery of the Sovereign Bottleneck.
Law No. 7583 — OTS DEPA ratification (Official Gazette No. 33286, 20 June 2026) — Brings the Turkic States’ Digital Economy Partnership Agreement into Turkish law. A cooperation framework; not yet in force internationally (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan pending).
International model laws
UNCITRAL MLETR (2017) — The template for making electronic transferable records legally equivalent to paper.
UNCITRAL MLETR adoption status — The live list of enacting jurisdictions. Türkiye is not on it.
UNCITRAL Working Group IV (Electronic Commerce) — Where MLETR, MLIT and MLAC are negotiated.
Comparative jurisdictions
UK Electronic Trade Documents Act 2023 — Common-law drafting; in force 20 September 2023; electronic trade documents equal paper. Governs most charterparties.
eIDAS — Regulation (EU) 910/2014 — Art. 25(2): a qualified e-signature equals handwritten across the EU.
France — Décret No. 2025-811 (with Law No. 2024-537) — Civil-law prescriptive transposition of MLETR; first EU member to fully transpose. The likelier blueprint for Türkiye.
Reform and stakeholders
Ministry of Trade–EBRD legal reform project — Phase 2 (launched 23 May 2025, Ankara) produces a draft bill transposing MLETR; implemented by D2LT and Marvas Legal.
EBRD Blueprint on the legal aspects of digitalised trade documents