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Making e-signatures everyday practice

Digital signatures are ready to become everyday practice in the EU

Making e-signatures everyday practice

Pen and paper signatures are ready to go digital across all of the European Union. Why?

  • 80% of EU citizens use the internet
  • a qualified digital signature is as valid as a handwritten one
  • e-signatures are an important component of EU's digital single market strategy

Benefits 

  • saves time
  • saves money
  • protects the environment
  • raises productivity 

Security 

  • helps verify authenticity 
  • protects against identity theft or fraud 
  • eliminates risks of loss or destruction
  • legally binding 

Key facts  

If  e-signatures were fully used across the EU:

  • this would save up to 2% of EU GPD per year (2% is equal to spending targets on defence)
  • it would spare a stack of paper as high as the Eiffel Tower every week in a country like Estonia 

A wider spread of digital signatures is on the way:

  • 3 out of 5 public services in the EU use e-ID
  • 37% of national e-ID systems are mobile friendly
  • 54%  are based on smartcards
  • 24 countries in the EU have e-IDs in place

Sources: Estonian presidency, European Commission 

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