Send and sign documents with qualified electronic signatures

An electronic signature is a digital alternative to signing paper documents, which shows an individual’s or an organization’s intent to confirm or agree to the contents of a document. It also serves to identify the signee.

Instead of handling hard copies of paperwork, you can sign agreements or enter contracts electronically via computers or mobile devices. Electronic signatures issued by qualified trust service providers such as Evrotrust have the same legal validity as signed paper copies.

EIDAS stands for “electronic identification, authentication, and trust services.” It refers to the specific legal framework of the European Commission to regulate the means of remote (online) identification, electronic signatures, and other interactions via a verified digital identity. 

Depending on the complexity level, electronic signatures can be simple (SES), advanced (AES), and qualified (QES). These types are suitable for low, moderate, or high-risk situations, respectively.

Based on the definitions set out in the eIDAS regulation, a simple electronic signature is the plainest form of acceptance. While they are legally binding, they don’t have the same validity as handwritten signatures. It can be a scanned image or a photo of a handwritten signature, for example, or signing one’s name via a tablet. In some cases, even checking a box counts as an SES (for instance, to acknowledge you’ve read and accept an agreement).

Both advanced (AES) and qualified electronic signatures (QES) include security features to uniquely link the signature to the particular individual or organization signing the document. They can only be applied to documents after the issuance of a special certificate for electronic signatures capable of identifying the signee.

The core difference is that a QES is more secure than an AES, as the certificate registration process involves verifying the identity of the signee. Only qualified trust service providers are legally permitted to issue QES certificates.

Also, a QES is legally binding by default, whereas an SES or an AES depends on the parties’ mutual acknowledgement of its validity. For instance, one can electronically sign up for a bank loan with a QES, while an AES is not acceptable. The institution issuing the document may outline its own requirements as to which agreements need an AES or a QES.

Another difference related to the validity of the different types of eSigns has to do with consent. Both the SES and the AES rely on the two parties of the agreement to mutually recognize the signature as valid.

However, a QES is inherently binding and does not require consent in the same way. If one of the parties wants to dispute an agreement signed with a QES, it bears the burden of proof. For this reason, important contracts typically require qualified signatures as the most secure option.

All types of eSignatures are legally valid, but they differ in their degree of enforceability. Qualified signatures are legally valid and enforceable by default, making them the most secure solution.

At the same time, simple and advanced signatures may be legally valid if the parties involved agree to accept them. SESs are the easiest to dispute.

There are several options for using the Evrotrust solutions, and not all of them will send the end user to our mobile app. 

As a business, you have the option to keep the signature process on your website using our web app. You can also implement a combination method where you send the user to our app from your site, and we redirect them back to your page to finalize the process.

Additionally, you can use a white-label SDK in your own application. This way, end users won’t need the Evrotrust mobile app to sign. Another alternative is to implement an OTP solution. These methods don’t require a mobile app to successfully sign documents.

Users can find a history of their signatures in the Evrotrust app. However, we are under no obligation to store signed documents. For this reason, we strongly urge users to keep their own copies. If the user loses access to their account (e.g. a forgotten password), Evrotrust cannot restore their previously signed documents.

We support all relevant file formats that may require a signature. This includes .pdf, .docx, .txt, .html, .xml, and more.