Research by two Externado Economic Law Professors presented at a Workshop in Italy

The research carried out by Economic Law Department Professors Gustavo Guarín and Julián Zuluaga, was selected to be presented at the "International Economic Law in the Era of Distributed Ledger Technology" Workshop held in Turin, Italy.

The research “Enhancing e-commerce through Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT): The regulatory paradox for digital governance,” stems from the concern about the emergence of blockchain technologies and the rapidly developing digital economy, which have the potential to transform the current international regulatory framework.

While the Internet has improved the development of new platforms for international trade, blockchains can be instruments to unleash the potential of e-commerce by motivating, strengthening, and promoting transactions and reduce inefficiencies. For example, it could significantly reduce intermediary cost, facilitating the use and interoperability of smart contracts and single-window systems.

The research examines the developments, initiatives and current proposals from different perspectives: an overview of the opportunities arising from blockchain to promote electronic commerce, and the current international legal economic framework in light of the blockchain application in electronic commerce, taking into account the recommendations by policy institutions and international initiatives in some specific jurisdictions. From these approaches, the authors propose a series of regulatory principles.

The workshop is sponsored by the University of Turin and the Carlo Alberto Research Centre, “Transnational Dispute Management” and “International Economic Law Interest Group.” The research will be published in the prestigious Law journal Global Jurist, of the De Gruyter Publishing House.

Gustavo Guarín has a Master’s in International Economic Law from the University of Barcelona and a Master’s in European and International Law from the Europe-Institut, in Germany. Currently, he performs as an internationalist attorney and adviser to the International Legal Affairs Office of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Tourism.

Julián Zuluaga has a Master’s in Analysis of Contemporary Political, Economic, and International Problems from the Externado de Colombia University and the Institute of Higher Studies for Development (Paris).  He currently serves as a consultant in the Ministry of Culture for internationalization of cultural and creative industries.