Ukraine and EU to cooperate for mutual recognition of electronic trust services

Ukraine is working to ensure that the key components of the country’s system of electronic trust services are compatible with the relevant components of the EU system, the country’s Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation has said.

In 2019, the Ministry of Digital Transformation sent a request to the European Union for a bilateral agreement on mutual recognition of electronic trust services.

Ukraine currently has a working plan for cooperation in the field of electronic trust services, on which the country will work over the next two years.

“Mutual recognition of electronic trust services between Ukraine and EU will expand the opportunities of citizens and businesses. That is why the team of the Ministry of Digital Transformation is working to ensure that the key components of the Ukrainian system of electronic trust services are compatible with the relevant components of the EU system. This will provide Ukrainians with affordable electronic trust services,” said Lyudmyla Rabchynska, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation.

This provides the ability for both the European Union and Ukraine to make cross-border transactions using the qualified electronic signature from a computer or a smartphone without undue effort and expense.

The Ministry of Digital Transformation is already taking the first steps towards mutual recognition of electronic trust services. Ukraine has taken part in an EU4Digital pilot project with Estonia, one of the leaders in e-government in the EU, on cross-border electronic signatures. As a result, it will be technically possible to verify Estonian e-signature in Ukraine and vice versa (Ukrainian e-signature in Estonia).

Within the EU4Digital Trust and Security programme, Ukraine was selected as a participant in the eSignature pilot project, with the aim to test cross-border eSignature technical solutions, which should enable cross-border mutual recognition of digital signatures. The pilot participants included Ukraine, Moldova, and Estonia. 

During the pilot, the participants tested several mechanisms which enabled the validation of qualified electronic signatures, together with the timestamping and the certificate status checking components. 

The outputs and the lessons learned from the pilots will serve as an input for the preparation of the regional roadmap and national action plans towards mutual recognition of electronic identification means in the EaP region, based on eIDAS and in full compliance with the EU acquis for EaP countries.

How will this affect citizens?

Citizens will be able to receive public services online in EU member states through the Ukrainian qualified electronic signature.

How will this affect business?

Entrepreneurs will be able to sign online contracts using their own qualified electronic signatures (QES) and verify electronic signatures created by foreign citizens.

Ministry press release

Working plan for cooperation in the field of electronic trust services

EU4Digital Trust and Security