A Qualified Electronic Seal (eSeal) is the digital equivalent of an organisation's stamp or company seal.
It allows an organisation to prove the origin and integrity of digital documents, data, and transactions.
Qualified Electronic Seals are issued in accordance with the eIDAS Regulation and the relevant ETSI standards for trust services within the European Union.
A Qualified Electronic Seal provides assurance that:
- The document or data originated from a specific organisation.
- The content has not been altered since the seal was applied.
- The seal was created using a qualified certificate issued by a Qualified Trust Service Provider.
Important: An eSeal belongs to an organisation, not an individual.
Unlike a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES), which is linked to a natural person, a Qualified Electronic Seal is linked to a legal entity such as a company, government body, or organisation.
What is the difference between an eSeal and an electronic signature?
Although they use similar technology, they serve different purposes.
- Electronic Signature (QES) – confirms that a specific person signed a document.
- Electronic Seal (eSeal) – confirms that a specific organisation issued or approved a document.
In simple terms, a signature proves who signed, while a seal proves which organisation issued the document.
When is an eSeal used?
Qualified Electronic Seals are commonly used for:
- Automated document issuance.
- Invoices and financial documents.
- Official company statements.
- Certificates and attestations.
- EPREL registrations.
- Digital workflows where no individual signature is required.
Because an eSeal is organisation-based, it is particularly suitable for automated systems that generate large numbers of documents.
Is a Qualified Electronic Seal legally recognised?
Yes.
Qualified Electronic Seals are recognised throughout the European Union under the eIDAS Regulation.
A Qualified Electronic Seal provides strong evidence of the origin and integrity of electronic data and benefits from a presumption of integrity under eIDAS.
Who can request a Qualified Electronic Seal?
Qualified Electronic Seals can only be issued to legal entities such as:
- Companies
- Government organisations
- Foundations and associations
- Other registered legal entities
During the application process, the organisation and the authority of the applicant are verified before the certificate can be issued.
How long is a Qualified Electronic Seal valid?
Digidentity offers Qualified Electronic Seal subscriptions with a validity period of one year.
As part of the subscription, your organisation receives a Qualified Electronic Seal certificate that can be used to apply electronic seals on behalf of the organisation.
Once the subscription expires, it must be renewed before a new certificate can be issued.