An electronic seal is data in electronic form, which is attached to or logically associated with other data in electronic form to ensure the latter’s origin and integrity, where the creator of a seal is a legal person (unlike the electronic signature that is issued by a natural person).
In this purpose, electronic seals might serve as evidence that an electronic document was issued by a legal person, ensuring certainty of the document’s origin and integrity.
Advanced electronic seals (AdES)
An advanced electronic seal is an electronic seal which is additionally:
- uniquely linked to the creator of the seal;
- capable of identifying the creator of the seal;
- created using electronic seal creation data that the creator of the seal can, with a high level of confidence under its control, use for electronic seal creation; and
- linked to the data to which it relates in such a way that any subsequent change in the data is detectable.
Legal effects of an electronic seal
Across all EU Member States, the legal effects of electronic seals are laid down in Article 35 of eIDAS. Like an electronic signature, an electronic seal shall not be denied legal effect and admissibility as evidence in legal proceedings solely on the grounds that it is in an electronic form or that it does not meet the requirements for qualified electronic seals.