What is eIDAS?
eIDAS is EU Regulation 910/2014 on electronic identification and trust services, in force across the EU since 1 July 2016. It gives electronic signatures legal effect in every member state and sets one guiding rule: a signature cannot be denied validity solely because it is electronic. In practice, a document signed electronically holds up the same way an ink signature does.
Because eIDAS is a regulation rather than a directive, it applies directly in every member state without separate national laws. A signature that meets its requirements is recognised throughout the EU, which is what lets a business in one country sign an agreement with a counterparty in another and rely on it. The framework is technology-neutral: it defines outcomes, not vendors.
What are the three eIDAS signature levels?
eIDAS defines three tiers of electronic signature. The level determines how much evidential weight a signature carries by default, and most business agreements are well served by the middle tier.
- Simple electronic signature (SES). Any data in electronic form used to sign, such as a typed name or a drawn mark. Valid and admissible, with weight that depends on the surrounding record.
- Advanced electronic signature (AdES). Uniquely linked to the signer, able to identify them, and tied to the document so any later change is detectable. This is the level most contracts rely on.
- Qualified electronic signature (QES). An advanced signature created with a qualified certificate from a qualified trust service provider on a qualified device. It carries the legal effect of a handwritten signature by default.
Document eSign produces signatures at the simple and advanced levels. A qualified signature requires a qualified trust service provider and is mandated only for a narrow set of transactions under member-state law.
How does Document eSign meet eIDAS?
Document eSign delivers eIDAS-compliant electronic signatures at the advanced level, with the technical properties an advanced signature depends on. Every completed document is sealed with a PAdES-B-LT signature and a SHA-256 hash, embedded in the PDF and verifiable in any standard reader.
Each signer is identified and their action recorded, uniquely linking the signature to the person. An independent timestamp and an append-only audit trail make any change after signing detectable, and every document ships with a certificate of completion capturing each signer's email, IP address, and timestamp. That is the same defensible evidence the product produces everywhere else, available under EU law.
How does eIDAS compare to the US ESIGN Act and UETA?
eIDAS is the EU counterpart to the US ESIGN Act and UETA. All three establish that an electronic signature is valid and enforceable when intent, consent, attribution, and a retained record are present. They differ in structure - eIDAS is a single EU regulation, while the US relies on a federal act plus state law - but they agree on the substance.
Document eSign is built to meet all three at once, so a document signed on the platform holds up in the EU and the United States. For a signer in Frankfurt and a counterparty in Chicago, the same signing flow satisfies both regimes without a separate process for each.
Are electronic signatures legally binding in the EU?
Yes. Under eIDAS, an electronic signature has legal effect and is admissible as evidence in legal proceedings, and cannot be denied validity solely because it is electronic (Article 25). The evidential weight depends on the signature level and the surrounding record.
To make that record strong, Document eSign pairs the signature with:
- A PAdES-B-LT seal and an independent timestamp on every document
- A tamper-evident hash so any later change is detectable
- A certificate of completion with each signer's email, IP, and timestamp
- An append-only audit trail of every event
That combination is what turns a valid signature into defensible evidence of who signed what, and when.
Frequently asked questions
What is eIDAS?
eIDAS is EU Regulation 910/2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market. It gives electronic signatures legal effect across all EU member states and defines three tiers of signature: simple, advanced, and qualified. Its central principle is that a signature cannot be denied legal effect solely because it is electronic. eIDAS applies directly in every member state, so a signature that meets its requirements is recognised throughout the EU.
What are the three eIDAS signature levels?
eIDAS defines a simple electronic signature (SES), an advanced electronic signature (AdES), and a qualified electronic signature (QES). A simple signature is any data in electronic form used to sign. An advanced signature is uniquely linked to the signer, capable of identifying them, and tied to the document so any later change is detectable. A qualified signature is an advanced signature created with a qualified certificate from a qualified trust service provider on a qualified signature creation device, and it carries the same legal effect as a handwritten signature by default.
Is Document eSign eIDAS compliant?
Yes. Document eSign produces eIDAS-compliant electronic signatures at the simple and advanced levels. Every completed document is sealed with a PAdES-B-LT signature, a SHA-256 document hash, and an independent timestamp, and each signer is identified and recorded in a tamper-evident audit trail, which are the properties an advanced electronic signature relies on. A qualified electronic signature (QES) requires a qualified trust service provider; for the large majority of business agreements, an advanced signature is what parties need.
Do I need a qualified electronic signature?
Usually not. Most commercial contracts, employment paperwork, NDAs, and consent forms are fully served by an advanced electronic signature, which is uniquely linked to the signer and detects tampering. A qualified electronic signature is only required for a narrow set of transactions where a specific member state's law mandates it, such as certain notarial acts or filings. If your use case requires QES, you would engage a qualified trust service provider; for everything else, an eIDAS-compliant advanced signature is sufficient.
Are electronic signatures legally binding in the EU?
Yes. Under eIDAS, an electronic signature has legal effect and is admissible as evidence in legal proceedings, and it cannot be denied validity solely because it is electronic. The evidential weight depends on the signature level and the surrounding record. Document eSign strengthens that record with a PAdES seal, an independent timestamp, and a certificate of completion that captures each signer's email, IP address, and timestamp, giving you defensible evidence of who signed what and when.
How does eIDAS relate to the US ESIGN Act and UETA?
They are the equivalent frameworks for different regions. eIDAS governs the EU, while the ESIGN Act and state UETA laws govern the United States. All three establish that electronic signatures are legally valid and enforceable when intent, consent, attribution, and a retained record are present. Document eSign is built to meet all three, so a document signed on the platform is binding on both sides of the Atlantic.