How can we move towards paperless daily administration and digitalize business processes? A good idea is to implement an electronic signature quickly and easily. There are three types of eSignatures: SES (Standard Electronic Signatures), AdES (Advanced Electronic Signatures), and QES (Qualified Electronic Signatures).
It is important to note that an eSignature is not a mark, image, or text that appears on a document but an invisible addition. Once you print an e-signed document, it can no longer be verified because there is no proof of the signatory’s identity. That is why you should digitally store electronically signed documents and not in binders.
What is a Qualified Electronic Signature?
A qualified electronic signature is an advanced electronic signature created by a qualified electronic signature creation device based on a qualified certificate for electronic signatures. A QES signature has the highest level of security and greatest probative value because it is equivalent in its legal effect to a handwritten signature on paper, according to the eIDAS regulation. Before starting to sign PDFs with a QES digitally, a person has to obtain a qualified signing certificate. A qualified certificate for electronic signature means a certificate that is issued by a qualified trust service provider and meets the requirements laid down in eIDAS. When issuing a certificate for the QES signature, the quality of identification of the signatory during the signing itself gives the greatest weight to the probative value of any type of signature. A qualified electronic signature based on a qualified certificate issued in one EU Member State is recognisedQT in all other Member States.
The Role of Qualified Trust Service Providers (QTSP)
According to the eIDAS, a qualified trust service provider is a trust service provider who provides one or more qualified trust services and is granted the qualified status by the supervisory body. So to become a QTSP, a provider has to prove that it meets strict regulatory requirements for qualified trust service providers and the trust services it wishes to provide to an accredited national conformity assessment body, who will perform an audit and assess its compliance. The providers who pass this audit can be considered an incredibly trusted resource. Only commercial service providers who are accredited and listed in the EU/EEA Trusted List Browser as a Qualified Trust Service Providers (QTSP), can issue qualified signing certificates and therefore provide a person with qualified electronic signature – QES. These trusted lists are essential in ensuring certainty among market operators as they indicate the status of the service provider and of the service at the moment of supervision. They aim to foster the interoperability of qualified trust services by facilitating the validation of eSignatures, eSeals, and more.
Proving Your Identity for Qualified Electronic Signature
QTSPs issuing qualified certificates for qualified electronic signature (QES) should implement measures to verify the identity of the person to whom a qualified certificate is issued. When issuing a qualified certificate for a trust service, a QTSP verifies, by appropriate means and in accordance with national law, the identity and any specific attributes of the natural or legal person to whom the qualified certificate is issued. The identity can be verified by the person’s physical presence, remotely by using electronic identification means, or other identification methods that provide equivalent assurance in terms of reliability to physical presence.
Benefits of QES
Here are some key advantages of using qualified electronic signatures (QES):
- the highest level of legal validity, equivalent to a handwritten signature,
- signing contracts and documents quickly and efficiently,
- minimizes the risk of forgery,
- eliminates the need for paper-based processes,
- remote signing of documents.
Remember that QES is not just about going paperless but also about ensuring security, efficiency, and legal compliance in digital workflows.