“Rapid technological development and the global character of the Internet necessitate an approach which is open to various technologies and services capable of authenticating data electronically.” (source: Directive 1999/93/EC)

 

“An electronic signature is an electronic indication of a person’s intent to agree to the content of a document or a set of data to which the signature relates. Like its handwritten counterpart in the offline world, an electronic signature is a legal concept capturing the signatory's intent to be bound by the terms of the signed document.” (source: CEF Digital)

 

CEN/TC 224 on “Personal identification and related personal devices with secure element, systems, operations and privacy in a multi sectorial environment” will soon release two Technical Reports in the field of Electronic Signature:

 

CEN/TR 419040:2018: Rationalized structure for electronic signature standardization - Guidelines for citizens 

This Technical Report aims to help citizens to understand the relevance of using electronic signature within their day-to-day lives. It also explains the legal and the technical backgrounds of electronic signatures. This document gives guidance on the use of electronic signatures and addresses typical practical questions the citizen may have on how to proceed to electronically sign, where to find the suitable applications and material.

 

This Technical Report aims to be the entry point in relation to electronic signatures for any SME that is considering to dematerialize paper-based workflow(s) and seeks a sound legal and technical basis in order to integrate electronic signatures or electronic seals in this process. It is not intended to be a guide for SMEs active in the development of electronic signatures products and services - they should rather rely on the series ETSI EN 319 for building their offer - but it is a guide for SMEs CONSUMING e-Signature products and services.

 

The Technical Secretariat of CEN/TC 224 is held by AFNOR – Association Française de Normalisation

 

Contact: Kohler Constant