What is the added value of a Qualified Trust Service Provider?

qualified-trust-service-provider

Since the digital age, companies are changing their digital habits and adopting new ones. If they had not already, businesses all over the world are adding electronic signatures to their toolkits or expanding the use of it. A quite logical evolution as electronic signatures workflows are indispensable when it comes to keep business moving in a remote world.

To make electronic signatures safe and efficient to businesses and citizen, a legal framework for electronic signatures and other services was necessary. That is why in 2016, at European the eIDAS (electronic IDentification, Authentication and trust Services) regulation was established.

Within this regulation, Trust Service Providers are defined as the ones that are responsible for assuring the electronic identification of signatories and services by using strong mechanisms for authentication, digital certificates and electronic signatures.

At Connective we can proudly state that we are a Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP) under the eIDAS Regulation. This means that we provide the highest degree of confidence and trustworthiness in our services and comply with the eIDAS regulations requirements for qualified trust services.

You can find Connective on the EU Trust ListĀ here.

What is a Trust Service?

eIDAS was put in place to ensure that electronic transactions are secure, no matter where they take place. Some electronic means of doing business need more security and authenticity guarantees than others. This is the case of Trust Services. Which is an electronic service that includes one of the following:

  • The creation, verification and validation of electronic seals or time stamps, signatures as well as electronically registered delivery services and certificates that are required with these services.
  • The creation, verification and validation of certificates to be used for website authentication
  • The preservation of electronic signatures, seals or related certificates.

A Trust Service Provider (TSP) is defined by eIDAS as ā€œa natural or a legal person who provides one or more trust services either as a qualified or as a non-qualified trust service provider.”

A Qualified Trust Service Provider, why is it crucial?

To be elevated to the level of a Qualified Trust Service, the service must meet the requirements set under the eIDAS Regulation. Before become a ā€˜Qualifiedā€™ Trust Service Provider the organization goes through a rigorous and independent assessment and undergoes regular audits to ensure that they continue to adhere to the QTSP requirements set out by eIDAS.

They must have been granted qualified status from a supervisory government body that gives permission to that entity for providing qualified trust services.

Connective for example is accredited as a QTSP to offer electronic signature and seal validation services and certification to determine validity.

From a legal perspective, both qualified and non-qualified trust services benefit from a non-discrimination clause as evidence in a court room. In other words, trust services cannot be rejected by the judge only because they are in an electronic form.

However, as Qualified Trust Service Providers undergo a more stringent assessment process, they provide a stronger specific legal effect than non-qualified ones as well as a higher technical security. Qualified trust services therefore provide higher legal certainty and higher security of electronic transactions

Connective as a Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP)

ConnectiveĀ“s main goal is to make our customerĀ“s digital experience safe, secure and intuitive. We are always striving to align with industry standards and to apply data protection by design and default. To enhance the trust of our customers we were recently audited by an accredited institution called LSTI to become a QTSP for our eSignatures Validation Services. They thoroughly looked at areas such as security, level of trust and quality. And as a company we needed to demonstrate that we meet the relevant requirements for qualified trust service providers and the trust services we wish to provide. In other words, QTSP is a quality stamp with strict requirements. Go and have a look at our Certificate.Ā 

Qualified Trust Service Provider

Why should you consider a Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP)?

By involving a Qualified Trust Service Provider, an organization that completes an electronic transaction is sure that itĀ“s fully secure.

By using the services of a Qualified Trust Service provider you:

  • lower the risk of your electronic transactions drastically
  • are highly insured against disputed and there is less liability for you
  • are sure that any technical issues are dealt with quickly
  • have assurance your transactions are legally binding too cross borders within the EU
  • can offer a higher quality of services

Questions? Don't hesitate to contact us!

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