The use of qualified electronic seals is becoming a best practice for digital transactions with EU Institutions, Bodies and Agencies 

In line with the EU digital strategy, EU Institutions, Bodies and Agencies (EUIBAs) adopt qualified trust services to ensure the legal entity’s authenticity and integrity while increasing efficiency and eliminating the use of paper.

In March 2022, the European Commission signed a new agreement in collaboration with DG SANTE and DG AGRI, establishing that all goods imported to the European Union will be sealed with health and safety digital sealing certificates issued by Qualified Trust Services Providers (QTSPs). The TRACES system, an online platform offered by the Commission, is used for sanitary and phytosanitary certification required for the importation of animals, animal products, food and feed of non-animal origin and plants into the European Union, and the intra-EU trade and EU exports of animals and certain animal products. 

All standards applied in these transactions for electronic seals meet the standards set by Regulation (EU) No 910/2014, also known as eIDAS Regulation. Electronic seals serve as evidence that an electronic document was issued by a legal person, ensuring certainty of the document’s origin and integrity. As a result, the seals used by the EU Institutions, Bodies and Agencies guarantee legal certainty and cross-border interoperability within the European Union and the European Economic Area.

This success story emphasizes the importance of qualified trust services, such as qualified electronic signatures and seals in the European Union and the European Economic Area. TRACES is one example of the EU adoption of qualified electronic seals and more EU entities are expected to adopt qualified trust services as part of the digitalization journey.