The Government of Jersey has approved further modernising
amendments to the Electronic Communications (Jersey) Law 2000 (the
EComms Law).
The amendments, which will come into force shortly following
Privy Council approval, follow directions given by the Bailiff in
the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic concerning
"remote" witnessing of signatures, and will provide
helpful statutory clarity concerning the use of electronic
signatures and video conferencing systems.
Specifically, the updated EComms Law will confirm that
signatures can be validly witnessed over an audio-visual link where
the witness either (i) positively identifies the signatory and sees
the signatory sign a document, is sent an electronic copy of that
signed document by the signatory and signs the document to attest
to the signature, or (ii) is utilising screen-sharing software to
see and sign the same document.
