“By endorsing the compromise found with the Council of the EU, Members of the European Parliament allow the implementation of an interoperable and secure environment for electronic identification and trust services in Europe, in due respect of European data protection rules. The eIDAS Regulation is a major pillar of the Digital Agenda, supported by the Heads of States and Governments during the last European Council. The Smart Security industry is pleased to see its adoption before the new electoral term, allowing a quick entry into force. With principles such as privacy-by-design, the Regulation will boost trust in electronic transactions, at a time when end users feel more and more threatened by attacks and fraud attempts. The need to show an equal or higher assurance level to allow mutual recognition of an electronic identification means from one Member State to another will also ensure a high level of security throughout Europe.
Eurosmart particularly welcomes the requirement for a mandatory certification of qualified electronic signature creation devices, by appropriate public or private bodies. We are convinced that only the appropriate certification scheme will allow a stronger level of security for the electronic signature and ensure the necessary trust for its full use.”
Eurosmart is now awaiting for the final approval of the Council of Ministers, before the formal entry into force of the Regulation. Eurosmart members will then be at the disposal of the Member States and European Commission to provide technical expertise on the security requirements laid down in the Regulation. In 2014, French and German IT security agencies ANSSI and BSI, supported by a large panel of European companies, jointly issued specifications on an eIDAS token, aimed at providing a concrete solution towards pan-European interoperability, in line with existing electronic identification infrastructures already deployed, while ensuring the highest possible level of security and privacy for users’ data. Eurosmart calls for the endorsement by the European Commission of these specifications and will push for their full promotion in the EU.
