About the BPER Project
The Best Practices in the Field of Electronic Registry Design and Operation (BPER) Project seeks, through an interdisciplinary approach, to study and link elements of ‘best practices’ standards and to develop a framework for electronic registry design and operation. From both legal and technical perspectives, the Project identifies Critical Performance Factors (CPFs) that, when adopted, allow registries to ensure reliability, security, and legal certainty.
The BPER Project is run by the Cape Town Convention Academic Project, supported by the UNIDROIT Foundation and sponsored by Aviareto. Creating best-practice guides will increase stability, trust and security in industries that rely heavily on electronic registries. For enquiries about the BPER Project, including proposals for involvement, please contact ctcap@unidroit.org.
Guide on Best Practices for Electronic Business Registries (2026)
In September 2021, the BPER Project expanded its scope to address Electronic Business Registries, which record and publicly make available information about companies and other legal entities. This Guide adapts the BPER Project’s methodology to the specific legal, technical, and governance needs of business registries.
The Guide was developed through multiple expert workshops (Workshops 6-10) and a targeted consultation (September – November 2025). It is intended for registry operators, government officials, legal practitioners, and policymakers engaged in establishing or modernising electronic business registry infrastructure.
To purchase a hard copy of the Guide on Best Practices for Electronic Business Registries (€50), contact us at ctcap@unidroit.org.
Guide on Best Practices for Electronic Collateral Registries (2021)
The first major deliverable of the BPER Project focused on developing best practices for electronic collateral registries, which record security interests in movable assets. This Guide was developed through four expert workshops and extensive case studies, and was published at a launch event alongside the 100th Session of the UNIDROIT Governing Council in September 2021.
To purchase a hard copy of the Guide on Best Practices for Electronic Collateral Registries (€50), contact us at ctcap@unidroit.org.
BPER Project Background
Electronic registries are an essential element of systems that collect, store, disseminate and establish rights in data or property represented by that data. The incorrect use and mismanagement of these registries can result in liability and legal uncertainty, translating to substantial economic and commercial damages.
The Cape Town Convention, which, through its various Protocols, establishes electronic registries for different types of high-value mobile assets, sets out a standard for the responsibility of registrars of modern electronic registries. The only defence is that of having followed ‘best practices’ in registry design, operation, and backup. However, ‘best practices’ in electronic registries are not defined by the Convention, nor have international parameters been developed more generally about electronic registries. The BPER Project fills this gap by developing a comprehensive framework, including the identification of Critical Performance Factors (CPFs), through detailed interdisciplinary workshops.
BPER Project Workshops
1st Workshop: Foundational Issues and Scope
The first workshop set out the issues that were further discussed within this Project:
– Classification of Global Electronic Registry Systems;
– Methods, Best Practices, and Technologies in Global Electronic Commerce;
– Future Application of Blockchain and Related Technologies;
– Ensuring Trust: Authentication, Data Integrity and Application Security;
– Digital Evidence: Disclosure, Discovery and Admissibility.
2nd Workshop: Definition, Critical Performance Factors (CPFs), and Risk Management
The second workshop made progress towards establishing a definition of electronic registries, identification of critical performance factors, risk management of those factors; and the usefulness of technical standards.
3rd Workshop: Collateral Registry Case Study and CPF Application
The third workshop, building upon the first and second project workshops, focused on the application of the best practice standards developed by the Project to the design and operation of electronic collateral registries. The discussion was based on an extensive case study prepared by Dr Marek Dubovec, Executive Director of the Kozolchyk National Law Center. Participating experts discussed which Critical Performance Factors (CPFs) were particularly relevant for collateral registries and shared practical experiences in relation to the challenges that arise in the design and operation of such registries. The group identified additional CPFs which could be incorporated into the case study and suggested that the CPFs should be further tested against functioning collateral registries.
4th Workshop: Collateral Registries Guide Refinement
The working paper on best practices in the design and operation of electronic collateral registries was refined and discussed further at a hybrid fourth workshop held in Rome and on Zoom in September 2020. A report for this workshop can be found here.
Collateral Registries Guide Publication and 5th Workshop: Focus Shift
This Working Paper was finalised and published at a launch event alongside the 100th Session of the UNIDROIT Governing Council on 22-27 September 2021. The Guide on Best Practices for Electronic Collateral Registries is now available for free online and can be purchased in hard copy here.
In September 2021, a fifth workshop for the Project was organised at the University of Cambridge. It was decided that the Project would shift its focus to Electronic Business Registries and would work towards developing a best practices guide for the same. A report for this workshop can be found here.
6th Workshop: Preliminary Business Registries Guide Structure Review
The sixth workshop for this Project featured a review of a preliminary structure for the Guide on Best Practices for Electronic Business Registries, as well as discussions on questions of scope, differences between business registries and collateral registries, and the structure of the Guide. A report for this workshop can be found here.
7th Workshop: Detailed CPF Analysis and Adaptation for Business Registries
At the seventh workshop for this Project, the experts reviewed a detailed outline of the prospective Guide on Best Practices for Electronic Business Registries and analysed the existing Critical Performance Factors. They identified the adaptations needed in the context of business registries and discussed the proposed additional CPFs. A report for this workshop can be found here.
8th Workshop: Definitions of Key CPFs
At the eighth workshop, participants reviewed in detail the definitions and core content of some key CPFs, particularly relevant to business registries. A full report for this workshop is available here.
9th Workshop: Guide Refinement, Transparency CPF and a new Annex
The ninth workshop focused on refining the structure and content of the Draft Guide on Best Practices for Electronic Business Registries. Participants agreed on introducing a separate CPF for Transparency, and revisions were made to the document’s overall structure, including creating a new Annexe to distinguish between best practices and reference materials with technical standards. Discussions also led to decisions on maintaining Access Control and Authentication as distinct CPFs, removing overly specific technical details, and refining the risk management section to better reflect the registry context. A summary report for this workshop can be found here.
10th Workshop: Targeted Consultation Feedback Review and Finalisation
The tenth workshop finalised the substantive revisions to the Draft Guide on Best Practices for Electronic Business Registries. Building on earlier stages of the Project, participants refined the Draft Guide in light of feedback received through the targeted consultation conducted in 2025. Participants reviewed clarifications relating to registry models and functions; the continued role of human oversight in automated processes and emerging technologies; the treatment of liability in light of the Guide’s non-legislative nature; accessibility and language considerations; correctability and error detection; interoperability and relevant technical standards; and the scope of legal authority of the registrar across jurisdictions. A summary report for this workshop can be found here.
