The evolution of contract law in the context of the digitalization of social relationships

Resumen

The significance of this study lies in the rapid digitization of social relations, which is transforming traditional approaches to concluding, enforcing, and terminating contracts, and shaping new models of economic interaction in the digital environment. The expansion of e-commerce, digital platforms, electronic identification, and blockchain technologies necessitates a reconsideration of classical legal constructs of contract law, originally developed within paper-based systems and geographically limited legal frameworks. In the digital economy, ensuring legal certainty of electronic transactions, protecting the rights of participants, and harmonizing national regulations with international standards become essential. The purpose of this study is to conduct a comparative doctrinal analysis of how international, European Union and Ukrainian legal frameworks regulate selected dimensions of digital contracting, namely electronic consent, digital identification, evidentiary mechanisms, automated contractual performance and algorithmic liability. The study does not seek to provide an exhaustive theory of the evolution of contract law as a whole. Instead, it focuses on a limited set of legal instruments and analytical criteria in order to identify regulatory convergences, gaps and directions for further legal development. It examines legal mechanisms governing electronic and smart contracts, as well as digital expressions of intent. The findings indicate that digitalization does not eliminate core principles of contract law but transforms their implementation through integration with digital infrastructures, enhancing legal efficiency and regulatory adaptability.