Electronic Signatures created with Connie meet the eIDAS requirements for Simple Electronic Signatures (SeS).

What is eIDAS?

eIDAS is a legal act regulating electronic identification and trust services in the European Single Market. Trust services include e-signatures, electronic seals, time stamps, electronic registered delivery services, and website authentication certificates. The regulation ensures that member states recognise each other’s electronic identification schemes and grants electronic signatures the same legal standing as their handwritten counterparts.

eIDAS applies to all 27 member states and prevails over national law. Due to its EEA relevance, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Iceland also implemented eIDAS into their national law.

Thanks to eIDAS, EU companies and citizens can now use electronic signatures and eIDs to conduct business and access online services in a faster and safer way across the EU.

Is it legal to sign electronically?

Yes! Electronically signed documents are legally binding, except for specific types of documents  where the law requires a handwritten signature.

All e-signatures can be used to sign documents online, and the law (in EU under eIDAS) prohibits discrimination against a signature on the sole grounds that it is in electronic form.

In other words, whatever method is used to sign electronically, the judge will always decide whether the signature should be considered valid in the specific case.

Simple Electronic Signatures Simple Electronic Signatures (SES) can be used in most cases where a signature needs to be applied to a document, except for situations where the law requires an advanced or qualified e-signature.

Common use cases where the Simple Electronic Signature is considered valid throughout the EU are

HR documents, including onboarding documents, benefits paperwork, NDAs, etc. (in some countries, termination notices are excepted)

Commercial agreements, including purchase orders, procurement documents, sales agreements, software licenses, invoices

Consent forms, including photo consents, video consents etc.

Consumer agreements, including new retail account opening documents, sales terms, services terms, software licenses, order confirmations, shipment documentation.

Some residential and commercial real estate documents, rental and lease agreements (in some countries, termination notices under residential leases are excepted)

Certain intellectual property licenses, such as patents, copyrights, trademark, and other intangible property transfers

When can’t I sign something with Connie?

While Simple Electronic Signatures are legally valid for the large majority of documents, there are exceptions that you need to be aware of. These are country-specific, but it is often documents governing deeds, wills, testaments, divorce, adoption,

eviction orders and other documents that Connie isn’t built for in the first place.

We urge you to do your own due diligence and make sure the documents you plan on handling using Connie can be legally signed using Simple Electronic Signatures.

What happens if an electronic signature is challenged in court?

If an electronic signature is challenged, the court will assess whether the signature meets the legal requirements and standards for authenticity, consent, and data integrity.

Can electronic signatures be used for cross-border transactions?

Yes, electronic signatures compliant with the eIDAS Regulation are valid for cross-border transactions within the EU.

Connie is not a law firm and this article should not be relied on as legal advice.