Are Digital Signatures Legal Worldwide? | ePact
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Are Digital Signatures Legal Worldwide?

Are Digital Signatures Legal Worldwide?
Profile image of Victor Holmark
Victor Holmark
May 6, 2024

With the advent of digitalization, digital signatures have become increasingly widespread as a convenient and efficient way to sign documents. But are digital signatures legal worldwide? Let's take a look at international legislation to gain a better understanding of this question.

Generally speaking, many countries today recognize digital signatures as legally binding and valid in the same way as traditional handwritten signatures. However, legislation can vary from country to country, and therefore it's important to be aware of the specific requirements and regulations in each jurisdiction.

In the EU, digital signatures are covered by the eIDAS Regulation, which ensures they have the same legal effect as handwritten signatures in cross-border transactions between member states. This has led to a broad acceptance of digital signatures within the EU.

In the USA, the government has enacted legislation such as the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN) and the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA), which give digital signatures legal recognition and validity.

Other countries such as Canada, Australia, Japan, and many more have also implemented similar legislation to regulate and promote the use of digital signatures.

It is important to note, however, that certain types of documents or transactions may require specific approval procedures.

ePact plays a central role in this development by offering secure and legal digital signature solutions. Our services are approved under the law and meet the highest standards for security and reliability. As a leading provider of digital signatures, we give our customers the security and confidence they need when signing important documents.

Overall, digital signatures have been recognized and accepted as a legally valid form of signature in many parts of the world, making them a reliable and practical solution for document signing in a globalized economy.