The European Commission is decided to tackle the low levels of consumer and business confidence in online transactions. For that purpose, it has launched an open consultation questioning about how electronic signatures, identification (eID) and authentication can help to overcome these reluctances by enhancing the way to verify people's identities and signatures. Interested parties can send their points of view to the Commission until 15 April 2011.

The European Commission considers that electronic signatures and electronic identification (eID) and authentication can be very important tools to enable both users and providers to rely on secure, trustworthy and easy-to-use online services but must work in all Member States to be effective. In order to gather interested parties' points of view, the European Commission has announced an open consultation on electronic identification, authentication and signatures, whose results will feed into the Commission's review of the existing eSignature Directive and the preparation of a planned initiative on the mutual recognition of electronic identification and authentication.

The aim of the consultation as well as the legislative reviews which are planned are in fact aligned with Digital Agenda for Europe's challenges which aim to boost e-commerce, e-business, and make it easier to undertake administrative procedures online in the Single Market.

Key aspects of Electronic identification, authentication and signatures EC Consultation

• Citizens' and businesses' expectations of EU rules on electronic signatures, identification and authentication: its general usefulness and specific business sector needs, socio-economic benefits, fields of application, potential additional trust-building services, mobile usage and the legal recognition of electronic consent by clicking "I accept".
• ICT sector's view on how eSignatures can be best tailored to face the forthcoming challenges triggered by technological progress: views on existing barriers, security requirements, potential grading of security levels, and expectations on standardisation
• Common set of principles which should guide the mutual recognition of eIdentification and eAuthentication in Europe, as well as considerations for economies of scale by allowing national eID systems, benefiting users across EU borders, and cross-sector uses in the public and private sectors.
• Potential contribution of research and innovation to the development of new eIdentification and eSignatures authentication, such as alternatives to Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) currently in use for the easy management of electronic signatures, and eID-cards.

The consultation that will run until 15 April 2011, is open both to users and companies as well as administrations or any interested party willing to share their views on how electronic identification, authentication and signatures can contribute to deliver the European Digital Single Market and on possible measures to create optimal conditions to stimulate its progress.