text: classified byreference tothesamethreecriteria: thedegreeof instantaneousness, thequality ofthedialogue andthesecurity ofthe communication. 47/ 74.Modern meansofcommunication areexpressly addressed by some legal systems, andconsidered according totheirdegreeofinstantaneousness. For example, section 64oftheAmerican "Restatement onContracts (second)" states that "telephone orothermediumofsubstantially instantaneous two-way communication isgoverned bytheprinciples applicable toacceptances wheretheparties areinthepresence ofeachother".•A/CN.9/333 English Page19 Inothersystems, caselawconsiders theparticular problem ofcontract formed bytelex.Ithasbeenstatedthat,telextransmission beinginstantaneous, the expedition ruleshouldnotapplytosuchcontracts. 48/Butithasalsobeen suggested that,wherecommunication bytelexisnotinstantaneous (as,for example, wherethemessage issentoutofofficehoursoratnight,orby a thirdparty's telexmachine), thetimeandplaceoftheformation ofa contract somade by telexcouldberesolved onlybyreference totheintention oftheparties, bysoundbusiness practice andinsomecasesbyjudgment where theriskshouldlie,andnotbyapplying auniversal rule.49/ 75.Thequestion ofthetimeandlocation oftheformation ofanEDIcontract isidentified intheTEDISstudyastheonewhichreceives thewidestvariety ofsolutions withinnational legislations intheEEC. The same question is addressed bytheABAreportandmay beregarded asoneimportant issuetobe settled inacommunication agreement. F.Riskoffailure ofcommunication 76.Aquestion thatisnotdirectly related totheformation ofcontracts but thatneedstobeaddressed withinthecontractual framework ofanEDI relationship isthedetermination ofwhichpartyistobeartheriskofa failure incommunication ofanoffer,acceptance orotherformof communication intended tohavealegaleffect, suchasaninstruction to release goodstoathirdparty. Thequestion ofliability forfailures in communication shouldalsobeconsidered inrespect oftherelations between thecommunicating parties andthoseproviding thecommunication network. Ill.COMMUNICATION RULESANDAGREEMENTS 77.Withpaper,mostfundamental issueson howtocommunicate havebeen understood foralongtime,eventhoughtheyhavenotalwaysbeensolvedthe same way inalllegalsystems. Withtelexandtelegrammes, therehasbeenno majordifficulty inadapting thesolutions thathadbeendeveloped forpaper communication, although thesolutions vary. 78.EDIissufficiently different fromotherformsofcommunication thata certain numberofquestions relating tothenatureofthecommunication itself shouldbeconsidered byparties intending tocommunicate withEDI.Someare generic questions whichinclude, amongst others, agreement oncommonmessage standards. Othercommunication questions arespecific tothenatureofthe intended contract. 79.Theneedforcommonorcompatible message standards iseasilymetwithin aclosed-user groupwhereparties adheretoacommonorganization. Anexample ofsuchaclosed-user groupistheS.W.I.F.T. systemforfundstransfers between banks. TheS.W.I.F.T. rulesspecify thestandard structured messages thataretobeused,aswellassuchmatters aswhenterminals aretobeopen toreceive messages. However, theneedforcommonstandards isnotsoeasily metwhenthecommunicating parties donotbelongtosuchaclosed-user group. Inordertoprovide forsuchcommonstandards, theWorking Partyon Facilitation ofInternational TradeoftheEconomic Commission forEuropehas beendeveloping andwillcontinue todevelop theUnitedNations rulesfor Electronic DataInterchange forAdministration, Commerce andTransport (UN/EDIFACT), whicharedefined asfollows:A/CN.9/333 English Page20 "Theycomprise asetofinternationally agreedstandards, directories and guidelines fortheelectronic interchange ofstructured data,andin particular thatrelated totradeingoodsandservices, between independent computerized information systems. "Recommended withintheframework oftheUnitedNations, therulesare approved andpublished bytheUN/ECEintheUnitedNations TradeData Interchange Directory (UNTDID) andaremaintained underagreed procedures. UNTDIDincludes: EDIFACT syntaxrules(ISO9735); Message designguidelines; Syntaximplementation guidelines; EDIFACT DataElements Directory, EDED(asubsetofUNTDED); EDIFACT CodeList,EDCL; EDIFACT composite dataelements Directory, EDCD;
analysis: The text appears to be discussing the legal and technical aspects of electronic data interchange (EDI) in the context of international trade and commerce. It highlights the need for standardized communication protocols and rules to ensure efficient and secure communication between businesses. The text also touches on the importance of considering the risk of communication failures and the liability of parties involved in EDI transactions.