The qualified electronic signature is one of the signature levels included in the eIDAS Regulation that is performed with a digital certificate of qualified electronic signature, i.e., an electronic document that links the validation data of a signature with a natural or legal person, with a pair of keys, one public and one private.

“It contains the necessary information to sign electronically and identify its owner with his or her data: name, NIF, algorithm and signature keys, expiration date and issuing agency,” states the Government’s e-Government Portal.

This is the electronic signature with the highest level of security, as it complies with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No. 910/2014 (eIDAS Regulation). It enjoys presumption of legal validity, being legally equivalent to the handwritten signature. This means that, in the event of a dispute, it will be considered as valid evidence before a court of law without the need to provide any expert evidence.