EU Electronic Signature Law: eIDAS, AES, and QES Explained

eIDAS 2014/910 in 90 seconds

The EU eIDAS Regulation creates a single, harmonised legal framework for electronic identification and trust services across all 27 EU member states. An e-signature legally executed in one member state is recognised in every other member state.

eIDAS defines three signature levels (SES, AES, QES) and forbids any member state from refusing legal effect or admissibility solely because a signature is electronic.

Simple, Advanced, Qualified — what's the difference?

Simple Electronic Signature (SES): any data attached to or logically associated with other data used for signing. Click-to-sign counts. This is the level DocFila provides — with consumer consent, emailed one-time-code authentication, a hash-chained audit trail and a tamper-evident PDF seal. Sufficient for most B2B contracts.

The 'advanced' tier (AES): uniquely linked to the signer, capable of identifying the signer, created using means under the signer's sole control, and linked to the data such that any later change is detectable. DocFila does not currently meet this tier — its signing certificate is a one-time, self-signed DocFila seal, not an identity-bound certificate from a trust service provider, so it does not establish the identity binding and sole control the tier requires.

Qualified Electronic Signature (QES): an AES backed by a qualified certificate issued by a Qualified Trust Service Provider listed on the EU Trusted List, plus a Qualified Signature Creation Device (QSCD). Required for some regulated transactions in finance, healthcare, and government.

When do you actually need QES in the EU?

Most commercial contracts can rely on an SES. QES is typically required for: certain notarial deeds (varies by member state), specific public-procurement procedures, court filings in some jurisdictions, and a small set of regulated banking and insurance documents.

DocFila does not offer QES. If a transaction requires one, use a Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP) directly.

eIDAS 2.0 and the EU Digital Identity Wallet

eIDAS 2.0 (in force from 2024) adds the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI), letting citizens authenticate and sign documents using a state-issued mobile wallet. DocFila does not integrate with the EUDI Wallet today.