Electronic signature in Ukraine

Electronic Signature (EDS)

Main article: Electronic signature (EDS)

2021: Ukraine switched to European electronic signature format

In November 2021, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine announced the beginning of the use of electronic signatures of the European format. The ministry called the innovation one of the steps towards mutual recognition of electronic trust services by Ukraine and the EU countries.

New features are available on the websites of the Central Certifying Authority and the Integrated e-Identification System.

Ukraine switched to European electronic signature format

These are the signature formats CAdES, XAdES, and PAdES:

• CAdES - allows you to sign e-data of any format and stores e-signature separately from or with e-data. Files can only be signed separately.
• XAdES - allows you to sign e-data of any format and stores e-signature in XML format, separately from e-data or together with it. You can sign multiple files at the same time;
• PAdES-Allows you to sign e-data in PDF format and save the e-signature with e-data. Files can only be signed separately;

A unified format for storing signed data is also defined - ASiC-E. It ensures long-term storage of e-documents. One of the advantages is the ability to save one or more files with associated e-signatures, check the entire chain of e-signatures and other data related to the document, noted in the Ukrainian Ministry of Finance.

As of November 2021, you can get a qualified electronic signature (CEP) in Ukraine offline or online. Banks will be able to sign credit agreements with borrowers online thanks to the use by Ukrainians of the Diya.Pidpis service in the Diya mobile application.

An electronic signature in Ukraine is a special file that contains a unique cipher with which your signature is identified as yours. It contains private and public keys - the first user enters into a special field for signing the document, and using the second one, the recipient of the signed document verifies the authenticity of this signature.^[1]

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