Universal Electronic Signatures

Universal Electronic Signature (hereinafter: UES) is a concept and a set of technical and organizational requirements which defines a security level of electronic signature capable of replacing handwritten signature.

UES is not just another PKI-profiling effort to achieve general PKI interoperability. Instead it mandates the use of certain standards, techniques and protocols in order to universally replace handwritten signatures with digital ones and to achieve international interoperability.

UES sets a new “level” for electronic signatures to achieve or supersede trustworthiness of handwritten ones. In terms of EU Directive 1999/93/EC on electronic signatures, UES deals only with “Advanced Electronic Signatures” based on “Qualified Certificates”. In addition, electronic signatures created under terms of UES have the following properties:

  • electronically signed documents are equivalent to handwritten ones by legal evidence value;
  • usage domain and signatory role are not restricted;
  • signatory is uniquely identified as a physical person;
  • there are means to identify signing time of the electronic document;
  • electronically signed documents are maintaining their long-term validity;
  • these are acceptable internationally

Information on this page will be shortly updated.

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