On Friday, the European Union will implement new rules for electronic signatures, replacing existing regulations that had made the use of digital authentication difficult across the economic bloc.

Starting on July 1st, the eIDAS Regulation goes into effect, allowing individuals and businesses across the European Union to take advantage of a new series of digital signatures, seals, time stamps, registered delivery, and website authentication across national borders. These electronic signatures will have the same legal weight as their physical counterparts. The new regulations put into place new trust centers to ensure that online signatures and certificates are authentic.

The rules update outdated regulations adopted in 1999

This new set of rules replace the existing eSignature Directive that had been in place across the EU since 1999. However, in the years since the original rules were implemented, electronic signatures have not entered widespread use across Europe, due to the varied interpretation of the rules by individual member nations and the lack of technical infrastructure. These new regulations will replace existing member nation rules governing electronic signatures, and will help the EU move towards its goal of a Digital Single Market.

The eIDAS regulations will allow for businesses to utilize universal, secure digital signatures and authentication methods that can be used anywhere in the EU, and will also provide framework for businesses outside of the EU to conduct their business securely.