Estonia, Internet, Markets and Companies, Technology

The application enables to create Smart-ID signatures which are recognized in all states of the European Union as equal to a handwritten signature. In Estonia, that means that the signature has equal value to the ones created using the Mobile-ID solution or the electronic ID-card, SK ID Solutions announced.

Smart ID is now certified as a qualified signature creation device (QSCD), which is the highest possible level in the European Union, allowing to create digital signatures that are equal to handwritten ones. All member states of the EU are obliged to accept said signatures. The assessment of the Smart ID product and service was carried out by the German certificate authority TUViT.

"The fact that Smart-ID was certified as a product offers new opportunities for future application, which would otherwise have remained unattainable. It is a guarantee for providers of e-services as well as users that Smart-ID is worthy of the trust it has already been receiving," said CEO of SK ID Solutions Kalev Pihl. 

Pihl added that this will not be the last news regarding the compliance of the service with existing standards as SK intends to continue having Smart-ID assessed in the EU member states where the service is to be made available. This has not been possible so far as the relevant judicial area is still being established.

All users who registered starting from Thursday will automatically have the QSCD level Smart-ID. Returning users wishing to create QES level digital signatures with Smart-ID need to update their Smart-ID application and re-register their account.

SK ID Solutions suggest it is convenient to do that with a Mobile-ID or an ID card. However, if those options are not available, SK does not recommend going to a bank branch to complete the procedure, as there are currently no services what are only accessible via the new Smart ID. All services are still currently operable via the old version of the app.