The IT Security Association Germany (TeleTrusT) backs the EU plan to facilitate the use of electronic signatures and identification means in the internal market. The Commission has presented a proposal for a Regulation to this effect, which is expected to come into force in early 2014. However, TeleTrusT is pressing for adjustments to be made on individual points.
Increasing numbers of commercial and administrative processes are being transacted electronically within the EU, which is why it will ultimately be necessary for electronic signatures and identification means to be accepted throughout the European Union. This is being advocated by TeleTrusT in its written comments to the EU draft Regulation on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market. TeleTrusT believes that the Commission's proposal does indeed deliver a suitable legal framework, despite remaining vague on individual points and making reference to future implementing acts. In order to ensure actual acceptance of the use of electronic signatures in the internal market, efforts towards technical standardisation must be accelerated so that they achieve fruition more or less contemporaneously with the entry into force of the Regulation. TeleTrusT believes that, with the involvement of the standards organisations CEN and ETSI, the prospects for this are good.
TeleTrusT criticises individual elements of the planned Regulation, which will pass into national law immediately after it comes into force: for example, TeleTrusT is opposed to excessive encroachment upon national law governing evidence and formal requirements, and to the fact that the draft Regulation will allow companies and not just individuals, as was previously the case, to provide a legally binding electronic signature in the future. TeleTrusT also stresses the importance of guaranteeing a certain level of security for electronic signatures, notwithstanding all the efforts being made to simplify the legislation. In its comments, TeleTrusT also strongly advocates notifying the relevant German services and products - 'Elektronischer Personalausweis' (electronic ID Card) and 'De-Mail' - in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation as soon as the latter comes into force. The complete text of the comments has been posted on the TeleTrusT website (http://www.teletrust.de/...).
Increasing numbers of commercial and administrative processes are being transacted electronically within the EU, which is why it will ultimately be necessary for electronic signatures and identification means to be accepted throughout the European Union. This is being advocated by TeleTrusT in its written comments to the EU draft Regulation on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market. TeleTrusT believes that the Commission's proposal does indeed deliver a suitable legal framework, despite remaining vague on individual points and making reference to future implementing acts. In order to ensure actual acceptance of the use of electronic signatures in the internal market, efforts towards technical standardisation must be accelerated so that they achieve fruition more or less contemporaneously with the entry into force of the Regulation. TeleTrusT believes that, with the involvement of the standards organisations CEN and ETSI, the prospects for this are good.
TeleTrusT criticises individual elements of the planned Regulation, which will pass into national law immediately after it comes into force: for example, TeleTrusT is opposed to excessive encroachment upon national law governing evidence and formal requirements, and to the fact that the draft Regulation will allow companies and not just individuals, as was previously the case, to provide a legally binding electronic signature in the future. TeleTrusT also stresses the importance of guaranteeing a certain level of security for electronic signatures, notwithstanding all the efforts being made to simplify the legislation. In its comments, TeleTrusT also strongly advocates notifying the relevant German services and products - 'Elektronischer Personalausweis' (electronic ID Card) and 'De-Mail' - in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation as soon as the latter comes into force. The complete text of the comments has been posted on the TeleTrusT website (http://www.teletrust.de/...).
