Closing A Deal Electronically Under Maltese Law Amidst COVID-19

The rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus, has made social distancing - whether it is mandated or strongly advised by governments - somewhat of a rule to live-by. Businesses are naturally feeling the deleterious economic impact of the various forms of (imposed or voluntary) lock-down measures in the most widespread of manners, including by not being able to physically meet and conclude deals.

Is it possible to conclude contracts electronically?

The creation of a binding contract fundamentally necessitates amongst other things, the key elements of offer and acceptance. However, the existence of these essential elements is not always reliant on the adoption of a specific medium, whether technological or otherwise. Indeed, some agreements may be verbal. In other instances however - and quite beyond the obvious benefit of generally evidencing agreements by written means - some types of contracts need to be reduced to writing. The crux of the matter is then, can the