The Chamber of Deputies yesterday adopted by unanimous vote a law concerning the electronic archiving of documents.
The law arose from a high level of demand for electronic records that are therefore dematerialised and more reliable and durable over time compared to material archives. The passed law recognises the legal value of digital documents and, under certain conditions, offers a guarantee of its conformity to the original. In addition, the law has created a new status for actors involved, called "dematerialisation and conservation service providers" (CSDP).
"This Act joins perfectly with the joint government initiative 'Digital Lëtzebuerg'," declared Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Economy, Etienne Schneider, at the rostrum of the Chamber of Deputies. "As well as a highly secure shelter for data in Luxembourg and the excellent national and international connectivity of the country, this modern and pragmatic legal framework for electronic archiving represents an additional argument for attracting large companies looking to centralise their electronic archives in a single country. In addition, the statute for dematerialisation and conservation service providers will create jobs."
This Law on electronic archiving is set to ensure predictability and legal certainty for professional figures, and will initially target contracts and commercial acts such as accounting documents. Authentic and administrative acts and other legal documents will be the focus of a second, later bill.
Photo by chd.lu (Étienne Schneider, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Economy)
