scope:

The present document presents the results of a study examining existing trust services and trust service providers that operate in different regions of the world, and their possible mutual recognition/global acceptance. In particular, the study aims to identify further steps which could be taken to facilitate cross recognition between EU trust services, based on ETSI standards supporting the eIDAS Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 [i.4], and trust services from other schemes. The study concentrates on existing PKI-based trust services as these are the most prevalent across the world.

The present document first identifies the methodology used in the comparison of other PKI-based trust services with those defined in the existing ETSI standards based around the four main elements of a trust service: legal context, supervision and audit, best practice and trust representation. Then the information collected concerning major PKI-based trust service schemes around the world and how they relate to the European trust service scheme based on eIDAS and ETSI standards is presented. The approaches to PKI across the globe are analysed to identify enablers and barriers to mutual recognition. Finally, conclusions are presented on steps that could be taken to facilitate mutual recognition.