What is eIDAS?

eIDAS is an EU regulation that makes it easier and safer to use e-signing and e-ID online.

🧐 What is eIDAS?

In short: eIDAS is an English abbreviation for electronic IDentification, Authentication and trust Services.

It may surprise some that the EU has had regulations for electronic identification and signing from as far back as 1999. Directive 1999/93/EC was implemented in December 1999, and was in effect until a new set of regulations came into force in July 2016. This new regulation is eIDAS.

Both regulations ensure recognition of electronic signatures in the same way as manual signatures on paper.

🔎 So what's the difference?

The biggest difference between 1999/93/EC and eIDAS is that eIDAS gives us a more standardized set of regulations that makes it easier to recognize electronic signatures and identification across EU member states.

The aim is to make it easier and safer to carry out digital transactions between the countries, in order to create digital growth in the EU's internal market, of which Norway is a part through the EEA agreement.

❗️Why is it important?

It is not only companies, but also public authorities and not least private individuals who benefit from the eIDAS regulation. This makes it both easier and more secure to carry out digital transactions through e-signatures and other forms of electronic security and identification.

It is not just e-signing that becomes easier with eIDAS, but also other forms of electronic identification. This applies, for example, to authentication of personal ID, as well as goods and services purchased online.

Some examples, apart from e-signature:

• eID: makes it easier to open a bank account in another country through a national ID card
• eTimestamp: provides proof of electronic purchase of e.g. concert tickets
• QWAC (Qualified Web Authentication Certificate): assures you that the websites and apps you like to use are trusted and secure
• eSeal: ensures the authentication of tickets purchased online, so you avoid being scammed

In other words, eIDAS affects most aspects of digital commerce and administration that are carried out on a daily basis.

📍To conclude:

The EU regulation eIDAS simply makes it easier and safer to carry out digital transactions across national borders. But that's not the only thing!

When digital services are easier and safer for ordinary people to use, there is also a lot of time and resources to be saved that would otherwise be spent on manual administration. Not to mention all the paper it saves! 🗒

Are you looking for secure handling of e-signatures for your company or privately?

Manymore Sign not only complies with the eIDAS regulation, but also GDPR, and ensures that your data is stored within the EU. ✨ Completely free! ✨