By legal provision, previously, acts and contracts had to be performed and granted before a Notary Public as a single act. Thus, all the deeds and some proceedings conclude with the famous phrase “before me, in my presence as a single act, to which I attest.-”
Ecuador had to wait for a pandemic that paralyzed a large part of the sectors to realize that technological-telematic means are useful and allied tools in all areas, which energize productive activities, including those who provide legal services.
Now, it is possible to hold mediation hearings by any technological means through the centers authorized by the Judiciary Council and to sign the corresponding minutes with electronic signatures. It is also allowed to hold judicial, arbitration and constitutional hearings by these means. However, certain regulations already did establish the appearance at proceedings and hearings through telematic means before confinement. Since the entry into force of the Organic Law of Humanitarian Support to Combat the Health Crisis Derived from Covid-19 on June 22, 2020, it is possible that certain acts, contracts and notarial proceedings be carried out by telematic, electronic or remote means . For this purpose, the Judiciary Council had to issue the corresponding regulations in which it determines the acts, contracts and proceedings that, because they require the physical intervention or the verification of the intervening parties, cannot be carried out with the appearance of the grantors or participants through the use of telematic, electronic or remote means.
Resolution 075-2020 of the Plenary of the Judiciary Council, issued on July 7, 2020, contains the Regulation for the Progressive Implementation of Acts, Contracts and Notarial Proceedings through the Use of Electronic Means and Reduction of Fees (hereinafter the “ Regulation ”). It established two phases. In the first one, article 3 of the aforementioned Regulation provides the following acts, contracts and proceedings that may be carried out electronically:
- Protocolization of public or private instruments by court order or at the request of an interested party.
- Electronic certification of a dematerialized document.
- Electronic certification of original electronic document.
- Certification of the document materialized from the website or from any electronic support.
- Registration of lease contracts with the request electronically signed by the applicant.
- Electronic petitions to establish reasons and notes on the margin.
- Subscription of minutes of requirements for the constitution in arrears to the debtor party.
- Subscription of minutes for the fulfillment of the contract promise, as well as for the delivery of what is owed and the execution of obligations.
- Incorporation of companies, provided that the grantors have expressed their express will to grant the deed electronically and they have electronic signatures; and,
- Constitution of associations or consortia in matters of public procurement, provided that the grantors have expressed their express will to grant the deed electronically and they have electronic signatures.
All requests for voluntary jurisdiction that are presented before a notary public by grantors who have an electronic signature may be sent electronically. Likewise, notaries may receive the corresponding minutes submitted by the attorneys who require the service, provided they have an electronic signature.
In the second phase, it was established that the Council of the Judiciary will decide on the inclusion of new acts, contracts and notarial proceedings, once the corresponding budgetary allocations are in place. It should be noted that the Judiciary Council, aware of the technological difficulties, did not provide that these acts, contracts and proceedings be compulsorily executed by these means, which implies that it will be optional for users of the notarial system.
Resolution 083-2020 of the Plenary of the Judiciary Council dated July 28, 2020, approved the Operational Instructions for the Progressive Implementation of Acts, Contracts and Notarial Proceedings through the Use of Electronic Means. which made the operational scope of the acts, contracts and proceedings feasible by electronic means, as referred to above. However, so far phase two foreseen in the Regulation has not initiated.
In conclusion, the use of electronic means for notarizations is not a novelty, but the inclusion of other acts and contracts has been a significant advance in favor of the speed of business and in judicial and arbitration activity that have been seriously affected by the pandemic. However, the legislators and the Judiciary Council remain in debt. The former because it gave the Council the power to limit the acts, contracts and proceedings that could be entered by electronic means; and, the latter, because it limited them too much. Let us hope that the Judiciary Council includes other acts, contracts and necessary procedures in the execution of the planned phase two.
Ramón Paz y Miño
Senior Associate at CorralRosales
rpazymino@corralrosales.com