Electronic signatures
An electronic signature under eIDAS represents a natural person's intent to agree to the content of an electronic document. Qualified electronic signatures (QES) have the legal equivalence of handwritten signatures across all EU member states. They require a qualified certificate issued by a QTSP and a qualified signature creation device.
Electronic timestamps
A qualified electronic timestamp proves that certain data existed at a specific point in time. Unlike signatures, timestamps do not express consent — they are about temporal proof. They are generated by a QTSP timestamping authority and comply with RFC 3161. Timestamps are essential for non-repudiation, proving that a document was not altered after a certain moment.
Electronic seals
An electronic seal is the organisational equivalent of an electronic signature. It links an electronic document to a legal entity (a company or organisation) rather than a natural person. Qualified electronic seals ensure the origin and integrity of data, proving it was issued by the stated organisation. They are widely used for automated document workflows.
Combining them for maximum protection
Best practice is to combine all three: sign a document with a QES to capture personal consent, apply a qualified timestamp to lock the moment of signature, and add an electronic seal from the organisation to confirm corporate origin. This triple layer provides the strongest legal standing for digital documents in the EU.