scope:

The present document defines an XML format of machine readable signature policies based on the building blocks that define technical constraints on digital signatures and are specified in ETSI TS 119 172-1 [i.2].

Pure signature applicability rules, directly related to procedural constraints imposed by business processes, are out of the scope of the present document which does not define XML elements for the building blocks specified in ETSI TS 119 172-1 [i.2] that define only applicability rules.

For each element of the machine readable signature policy, the present document specifies the semantics and the how to implement it in XML syntax.

The present document defines elements which can be used to describe technical constraints on signature creation, signature validation, and signature augmentation. These elements are designed in a way that it is possible to generate XML documents that include components of a signature generation policy, or/and signature validation policy, and/or signature augmentation policy.

An XML document conformant to the present specification, defines constraints (on generation, augmentation, validation, any combination of two of them, or the three of them) that one signature has to meet.

NOTE : Complex business processes, where several digital signatures need to be managed, having to meet different set of technical constraints, will require several XML documents conformant to the present document, each one defining one of these sets of technical constraints.

It is out of the scope to specify mechanisms for protecting the integrity of the machine-readable signature policy documents specified in the present document.