The Electronic Communications Act 2000 aims to foster trust in electronic commerce and the underlying technology by establishing an approvals scheme for businesses and organisations offering cryptography services, including electronic signature services and confidentiality services. The Act grants legal recognition to electronic signatures and outlines the procedures for their verification, generation, or communication. The Act removes barriers in existing legislation that hinder the use of electronic communication and storage in lieu of paper. Additionally, the Act includes provisions for modernising procedures related to the modification of telecommunications licenses.
