Legislation

EU

Current legislation

Since 1.7.2016, the use of electronic signatures is regulated at European level by a "Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 (eIDAS)", which was used as a basis for Slovak "Act No. 272/2016 Coll. on Trust Services".

Under this legislation, individuals create:

  • electronic signature
    • represents the lowest and the least trusted level of electronic signature
  • advanced electronic signature
  • qualified electronic signature (QES)

Legal entities create:

  • electronic seal
    • represents the lowest and the least trusted level of electronic seal
  • advanced electronic seal
  • qualified electronic seal
SK

Old legislation

Until 1.7.2016, the use of electronic signature was regulated at European level by the "Directive 1999/93/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 1999", which was used as a basis for Slovak "Act No. 215/2002 Coll. on Electronic Signature".

Under this "old" legislation, individuals created:

  • electronic signature
    • represented the lowest and the least trusted level of electronic signature
    • was created using certificate issued by any certification authority
  • guaranteed electronic signature (ZEP)
    • was the equivalent of a handwritten signature
    • was created using qualified certificate issued by Certification Authority accredited by National Security Authority of the Slovak Republic
    • was created using Secure Signature Creation Device (e.g. smartcard) certified by National Security Authority of the Slovak Republic

Legal entities created:

  • electronic seal
    • represented the lowest and the least trusted level of electronic seal
    • was created using system certificate issued by any certification authority
  • qualified electronic seal
    • retained the written form of the document in accordance with the Civil Code
    • was created using qualified system certificate issued by Certification Authority accredited by National Security Authority of the Slovak Republic
    • was created using Secure Signature Creation Device (e.g. smartcard) certified by National Security Authority of the Slovak Republic