EC-3rd Countries Trust Services Forum: Paving the Way for Mutual Recognition

The European Commission, in its pursuit of international compatibility for trust services, has made significant investments in the pilot program with Ukraine at the forefront. This collaboration has culminated in the release of the TC AdES LOTL, marking a significant step towards achieving mutual recognition of trust services between the European Union and Third Countries. To promote an exchange of views, the DIGITAL eSignature hosted the EC-3rd Countries Trust Services Forum, an hybrid event that brought together public institutions, private market representatives, representatives of EU and Third Countries.

With over 200 attendees, including participants from more than 27 EU/EEA Member States and over 15 non-EU countries, the forum served as a platform for fruitful discussions. The European Commission provided updates on its initiatives and engagements in the evolution of trust services, while speakers from various industries and countries, including Ukraine, Japan, and Albania, shared their valuable insights on trust services from policy, legal, and technical perspectives.Mutual recognition of trust services between the EU and Third Countries is a key milestone within the eIDAS framework.

The European Commission's leadership has paved the way for global trust in digital transactions, the impact of this action is reflected in the words of Viky MANAILA, Trust Services Director at Intesi Group and panel speaker in the forum.

"As Trust Services Director at Intesi Group, this journey under the guidance of the European Commission has been immensely rewarding. The achievement of mutual recognition allows us to instill global trust in digital transactions" 

Let's take a closer look at the key highlights from the EC-3rd Countries Trust Services Forum:

• Ukraine forms the frontrunner of the International Compatibility of Trust Services pilot, emphasising the importance of building trust between multiple parties. 

• The actions around the trust services are part of an ecosystem will include the implementations of the EUDI Wallet.

• More international collaborations in the pilot are ongoing, including Japan, Albania and Moldova. 

• The European Commission targets multiple future international collaborations in the fields of electronic identities and trust services.

• The European Commission announced the launch of the newly established Third Countries Trusted Lists Programme (TCTL). TCTL provides a well-defined and streamlined process for mutually recognising Trust Services between the EU and Third Countries. 

• The Representative of Albania elaborated on how to work towards their mission to enhance the level of security in electronic transaction in the domestic market, public and private online services, e-business and e-commerce. 

• The 'Women in Trust' panel discussion consisted of three brilliant, female trust services experts, enhancing the diversity and inclusion in Trust Services. 

• The Commission is keen on investing in this mission, by supporting Third Countries in their efforts. 

For more details about the event, please consult the event page. 

What's next?

Looking ahead, the European Commission aims to further expand collaborations with Third Countries to effectively progress towards mutual recognition in the framework of the eIDAS regulation. This effort seeks to enhance the security and efficiency of digital transactions between the EU and Third Countries while remaining adaptable to the evolving needs and emerging technologies.