What is a Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP)?
A QTSP is an officially certified and strictly regulated provider of trust services. It provides a certification infrastructure (Public Key Infrastructure – PKI) and is subject to continuous, independent supervision. Only QTSPs are permitted to offer legally regulated electronic signatures that meet the highest European and Swiss security standards.
In Switzerland, the regulatory basis for this is provided by the Federal Act on Electronic Signatures (ZertES) and the associated Ordinance (VZertES). In the European Union, the eIDAS Regulation provides the relevant legal framework.
“Trust service providers enable secure digital document workflows, including electronic signatures and time stamps, to ensure that documents are tamper-proof and legally binding across borders.”
— Peter Amrhyn, CEO Swisscom Trust Services
Why does mesoneer rely on Swisscom Trust Services as its QTSP?
Swisscom Trust Services is one of the leading QTSPs and offers a proven, comprehensive, and legally compliant infrastructure for electronic signatures. Companies benefit from:
- Legal certainty: Full compliance with eIDAS and ZertES/VZertES
- Maximum security: Cryptographically secured, tamper-proof signatures
- Reliability: Highly available infrastructure, continuous maintenance and further development to ensure trustworthy processes in the long term
How mesoneer uses the services for electronic signatures
The signature platform signeer from mesoneer seamlessly integrates the trust services of Swisscom Trust Services. This guarantees companies a secure, legally valid and user-friendly electronic signature.
signeer specifically relies on Swisscom's QTSP services for:
- Simple electronic signatures (EES): Supplementing EES with a company seal that provides additional security for signatures and makes them more traceable
- Advanced electronic signatures (FES) and qualified electronic signatures (QES): Secure identity verification in accordance with eIDAS and ZertES standards
- Long-term evidential value: Support for long-term validation (LTV) with time stamp services (ETSI EN 319 422) to ensure the long-term integrity and verifiability of signatures
- Key generation and key management: Secure storage and management of cryptographic keys for maximum protection
Conclusion: The right QTSP creates security and trust for digital processes
A qualified trust service provider such as Swisscom Trust Services forms the indispensable foundation for secure and legally valid digital signatures. Swisscom provides the technical infrastructure and legal and cryptographic security, while signeer, mesoneer's user-friendly signature platform, enables intuitive integration and efficient use of these services. This combination offers companies long-term legal certainty, ease of use, and maximum trustworthiness in digital business processes.
