Electronic Signatures Directive

The Electronic Signatures Directive 1999/93/EC is a European Union Directive on the use of electronic signatures (eSignatures) in electronic contracts within the European Union (EU).^[1]

Contents

The central provision of the Directive is article 5, which requires that electronic signatures are regarded as equivalent to written signatures.

Related acts

• Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions “Action Plan on e-signatures and e-identification to facilitate the provision of cross-border public services in the Single Market” [COM(2008) 798 final – Not published in the Official Journal]
• Commission report of 15 March 2006 on the operation of Directive 1999/93/EC on a Community framework for electronic signatures [COM(2006) 120 final – not published in the Official Journal].
• Commission Decision 2003/511/EC of 14 July 2003 on the publication of reference numbers of generally recognised standards for electronic signature products in accordance with Directive 1999/93/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council [Official Journal L 175, 15.7.2003]
• Commission Decision 2000/709/EC of 6 November 2000 on the minimum criteria to be taken into account by Member States when designating bodies in accordance with Article 3(4) of Directive 1999/93/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Community framework for electronic signatures [Official Journal L 289 of 16.11.2000]

Implementation

See also

• Digital signatures and law#European Union and the European Economic Area
• Electronic signature
• United States Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act

External links

• http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31999L0093 - EUR-Lex multi-lingual documents on Directive 1999/93/EC
• https://www.docusign.com/eu-esignature-directive - Docusign article on Directive 1999/93/EC

References