scope:

Directive 1999/93/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 1999 on a community framework for electronic signatures [EC 1999/93] - referred to as the Directive in the remainder of this document - established a legal framework for electronic signatures and certification-services in order to contribute to their legal recognition. It is laid down in article 5.1 that electronic signatures fulfilling certain quality metrics - so called qualified electronic signatures - satisfy the requirements of handwritten signatures. In article 5.2 a residual provision is given where general signatures are defined admissible as evidence in legal proceedings, even if the quality metrics of qualified electronic signatures are not met.