Posted 7th May 2024
With various technological advancements in recent years, more and more businesses are seeking effective digital solutions to enhance their processes. A good example of this is e-signatures. However, many organizations have questions surrounding the validity of this technology. As they want to make sure when signing and sending important documents, the electronic signatures are legally enforceable.
To answer this question, yes, eSignatures are legal in Ireland. In this guide we will be exploring the regulations that cover the use of digital signatures in Ireland. As well as other important information businesses need to know to provide a key insight into eSignatures and using them effectively.
In Ireland and the EU, e-signatures are regulated by eIDAS (electronic identification and trust services). The eIDAS regulation came into effect in 2016 and establishes a legal framework for service providers to follow when verifying the identity of individuals and businesses online alongside confirming the authenticity of digital documents.
These ‘trust services’ are designed to increase confidence in using e-signatures and electronic transactions, through reliable identity verification. E-Sign is fully compliant with eIDAS and its technical standards. We offer EU-based businesses assurance that any digital document they sign through our platform will be secure and legally binding.
Yes, adhering to the eIDAS regulation ensures that e-signatures are admissible in EU and Irish courts. This is because the signature on the document highlights the signer’s intention to agree to its contents. Electronic signatures can even provide more security in establishing authenticity and integrity in comparison to handwritten signatures.
Traditionally in the courts, the authenticity of a handwritten signature would be confirmed by using calligraphy experts to compare it or witnesses to the signing. With eSignatures on the other hand, there is a clear audit trail that includes key details like the location, date, and time of the signature as well as the IP address. Therefore, it is a much simpler, quicker, and more accurate way of determining the validity of a signature.
The eIDAS regulation outlines three different types of e-signatures that businesses should know about:
In addition to being legally binding, there are several other benefits to implementing electronic signatures in your organization, including:
Our eSignature and digital document solutions offer businesses a more efficient way of working and collaborating with stakeholders. Paper-based processes can be time-consuming and add unnecessary steps to your workflow such as printing, physically storing documents, and postage. Whereas E-Sign’s platform allows you to create, send, and sign documents all within a few clicks. This can save time and ensure your operations are running as efficiently as possible.
By digitizing your eSignatures and document processes you can make substantial savings on paper and associated costs. This might not seem like much, but paper costs can quickly start to accumulate for businesses. Especially if you are sending out large quantities of documents on a regular basis. Also, when you consider the amount of money needed to post documents, keep a printer operational, facilitate suitable storage for important documents, and more, transitioning to a digital solution becomes a must for your business. The budget you can save by removing paper costs can be better allocated to other important areas of your organization to encourage its growth.
Reducing carbon emissions is an increasingly important priority for many businesses in Ireland and internationally. By switching to digital signatures, you can reduce your carbon footprint through eliminating the need for paper. As more organizations start to make this transition less trees will need to be cut down. Which is essential for protecting the environment and minimizing the effects of climate change. If you become an E-Sign user, you will have access to a tailored carbon counter. Offering a visual representation of the amount of carbon you are saving by using our digital solutions.
Giving your clients the best possible experience with your business is key to its future growth and success. You can establish positive working relationships with ongoing customers by providing them with a seamless digital document and eSignature experience. Before the introduction of electronic signature technology, when clients receive documents they would typically have to print it, handwrite their signature and then either scan it or post it to be returned to the sender.
This takes up a lot of time and can be inconvenient for clients during a busy work day, especially if they don’t have immediate access to a printer. Whereas when the entire document process is digital, clients can easily review, sign, and send within minutes. Making communication and collaboration much simpler. A straightforward customer experience will help to ensure you retain customers and generate a positive reputation about your business.
Many industries and organizations handle sensitive documents and it can be challenging to make sure that they are kept as secure as possible when being sent to clients and returned. Delays can even occur due to having to arrange in-person meetings simply to protect sensitive documents. Which can be time consuming for both parties. By using advanced or qualified eSignatures, you can have peace of mind that any sensitive information you handle is fully protected.
The robust security measures, in-depth audit trails, and regulation criteria all ensure that digital signatures are valid and practically impossible to forge. If your business regularly manages sensitive documents, switching to a digital format can make a big difference in maintaining their security. This also applies to the storing of important documents as there is an increased risk of them getting lost or stolen when physical copies are kept compared to a secure solution like E-Sign.
As an industry leading electronic signature provider, E-Sign is committed to maintaining the highest standards of security across our platform. We achieve this through our continued compliance with essential internationally recognized regulations such as eIDAS. Also, we have achieved several accreditations and certifications for our security measures, which we adhere to strictly. Our platform uses an SSL encryption with anti-tampering controls, digital certificate technology and stringent identity verification. E-Sign protects users and the data without ever compromising it.
To conclude this article, eSignatures are legal in Ireland and provide a secure and efficient way of signing documents for businesses. There are several compelling benefits to implementing digital document solutions. For many modern organizations, it is one of the best ways to improve efficiency in their workflow and support cost effective growth.
Ready to see how eSignatures can transform your business? Register for our 14-day free trial and try E-Sign for yourself. This will allow you to understand our user-friendly platform and take advantage of the results it can generate. We can also offer integrations with various platforms to ensure E-Sign can work easily with your existing systems without having to switch between applications.
If you have any specific requirements or questions that you would like to discuss with our team, don’t hesitate to contact us. Our specialist team is highly knowledgeable and experienced with e-signature technology and can support a wide range of digital needs, whether you’re a small business only sending a few documents, or a larger scale enterprise.
