Procurement

Overview
https://www.epo.org/en/node/signatures

About eTendering and electronic signatures

About eTendering and electronic signatures

How to register for eTendering

Important information

How to register for eTendering (PDF, 828 KB)
How to get started in eTendering (PDF, 1.5 MB)

Only electronic bids/offers may be submitted in all tender and competitive procurement procedures published under eTendering.

Please note that a qualified electronic signature is required for tender procedures.

Electronic signatures

According to Article 7.3 of the General Conditions of Tender, for electronic bids, a qualified electronic signature (QES) is required. A qualified electronic signature is an electronic signature that:

  • is uniquely linked to the signatory;
  • is capable of identifying the signatory;
  • is created with means which the signatories can, with a high level of confidence, use under their sole control;
  • is associated with the electronic document to be authenticated in such a way that any subsequent change in the data is detectable;
  • is created by a qualified electronic signature device and is based on a qualified certificate meeting the requirements of eIDAS Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market and repealing Directive 1999/93/EC).
     

See the following link
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32014R0910&from=EN

Qualified electronic signatures fulfil the legal requirements for a signature with respect to data in electronic form in the same way as handwritten signatures with respect to data on paper.

Bidders are allowed to use any qualified electronic signature that is based on a qualified certificate offered by a certification service provider accredited in the trusted list in accordance with Commission Implementing Decision 2013/662/EU of 14 October 2013 amending Decision 2009/767/EC as regards the establishment, maintenance and publication of trusted lists of certification service providers supervised/accredited by Member States.

See the following link
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32013D0662&rid=1

Trusted lists are available for consultation on the following link
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/tl-browser