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Glossary term · C

Qualified certificate

Definition

A qualified certificate is an electronic certificate issued by a qualified trust service provider (QTSP) listed on the trust list of an EU Member State — the highest level of assurance recognized by the eIDAS regulation.

What it adds to a standard certificate : the holder''s identity is verified before issuance (physical face-to-face, video identification or equivalent electronic identity) ; the private key is protected in a certified device (QSCD, often backed by an HSM) ; and the QTSP is audited regularly by the national supervisory body (in France, ANSSI).

What is it for? It is the mandatory component of qualified signature (QES), the only one to benefit from automatic equivalence with handwritten signature throughout the EU (art. 25 eIDAS), with presumption of reliability in case of dispute. It is required for the most sensitive acts: attorney deeds, certain public procurement, business transfers.

On Certyneo : QES is offered on a per-transaction basis, without a dedicated subscription — the signatory''s identity verification and qualified certificate issuance are integrated into the signing process. Qualified signature (QES) at Certyneo →

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Certyneo allows you to create signature envelopes compliant with eIDAS in just a few clicks, without installation.