Why non-EU companies need to care
Any company conducting business with EU-based partners, clients, or subsidiaries needs to ensure their electronic documents carry legal weight under eIDAS. A timestamp from a non-qualified provider has no legal presumption in EU courts. This means contracts, invoices, and audit trails timestamped outside the eIDAS framework may be challenged.
Using EU-based QTSPs
The simplest approach for non-EU companies is to use a timestamping API from an EU-based QTSP. Providers like Universign, InfoCert, and DigiCert offer REST APIs that can be integrated from anywhere in the world. The timestamps produced are qualified under eIDAS regardless of where the requesting system is located.
Mutual recognition agreements
eIDAS Article 14 allows for international agreements that recognise non-EU trust services as equivalent to qualified EU services. As of 2026, such agreements remain limited. Most non-EU companies find it more practical to simply use EU QTSPs rather than seeking equivalence recognition for their domestic providers.
Practical steps
Identify which of your electronic documents are shared with EU counterparts. Prioritise timestamping for contracts, invoices, audit logs, and intellectual property filings. Integrate with a QTSP via API. Ensure your document management system stores both the original document and the timestamp token. Train your teams on the difference between qualified and non-qualified timestamps.