YEARS OF EUROPEAN ONLINE ANNÉES DE EN LIGNE ...

WORKSHOP
conidence uses certiication and digital signatures. It is important that there
are methods for the diagnosis and veriication of the integrity of the process
and of the different phases.
Digital or electronic signature
An electronic signature is used to authenticate the identity of the sender of
a message or of the signer of a document (e.g. act of parliament). It can also be
used to ensure the integrity of the original content of a document or message.
Additional beneits to the use of a digital signature are that it is easily transportable,
cannot be easily repudiated, cannot be imitated by someone else, and can
be automatically time stamped.
In the Uncitral model Law on Electronic Signatures (2001), electronic signature
means data in electronic form in, afixed to or logically associated with
a data message, which may be used to identify the signatory in relation to the
data message and to indicate the signatory’s approval of the information contained
in the data message.
Directive 1999/93/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13
December 1999 on a Community framework for electronic signatures ( 2 ) deines
an electronic signature as: ‘data in electronic form which is attached to or
logically associated with other electronic data and which serves as a method of
authentication’. the directive addresses three forms of electronic signatures.
the irst one is the simplest form of ‘electronic signature’ and is given a wide
meaning. It serves to identify and authenticate data. It can be as simple as signing
an e-mail message with a person’s name or using a PIN code. to be a signature,
the authentication must relate to data and not be used as a method or
technology only for entity authentication.
Advanced and qualiied electronic signature
An advanced or secure electronic signature connects the signature more
closely with the signatory. A secure electronic signature is deined as ‘an electronic
signature that results from the application of a technology or process
prescribed by regulations’.
In Directive 1999/93/EC, the second form of electronic signature deined
is the ‘advanced electronic signature’. this form of signature has to meet the
requirements deined in Article 2(2) of the directive. In this article, advanced
( 2 ) Oficial Journal of the European Communities L 13, 19.1.2000, p. 12.
104 | 105
01_2007_5222_txt_ML.indd 105 6-12-2007 15:13:52