Act on Services for Trust in Electronic Transactions

Act no. 297/2016 Coll.
With effect from: 19 September 2016

This act was enacted as a consequence of the EU regulation no. 910/2014 (so-called eIDAS). At the same time, this Act abolishes the previous Act no. 227/2000 Coll., on Electronic Signature.

The Act represents a fundamental release of the strict requirements laid upon the electronic signing of documents in civil law relations. For the purpose of a legal act it is newly possible to use any form of electronic signature, even a plain signature. Newly, even a simple scan of one’s own signature or just a designation of the sender in a text of e-mail fulfils the definition of the electronic signature.

The Act also indirectly acknowledges the written form of the documents which were not signed by a higher form of electronic signature.

The less strict regime laid upon the electronic signing of documents will, however, not be applied in case of labour-law relations, nor in relations with the public authorities. (open the official wording).