— Communiqué de presse —
Brussels, June 9, 2020
itsme® Sign accessible to SMEs, freelancers and individuals
VisitOnWeb and doccle join forces to democratize qualified electronic signatures in Belgium. A revolution in access to eIDAS-compliant signatures with commitment-free prepaid packages.
A strategic partnership for digitalization
VisitOnWeb, designer of innovative solutions for the self-employed and SMEs, today announced its partnership with doccle to offer qualified electronic signature services, including the highly anticipated itsme® Sign.
Available at www.e-Signature.eu, these prepaid services are designed to accelerate the adoption of electronic signatures by professionals and individuals looking for an easy, low-volume solution.
A shared commitment to accessibility
This partnership is the result of a simple observation: until now, qualified electronic signatures have been reserved for large companies with considerable volumes of business, but they have remained out of reach for SMEs, the self-employed and private individuals. e-Signature.eu is changing all that by opening up access to this certified technology without any financial commitment.
In search of administrative simplification
Belgian SMEs and the self-employed have a real and pressing need for administrative simplification. Digital transformation is no longer an option, but a necessity if we are to remain competitive.
“Our customers have a real need to simplify their administration. With its high level of security combined with ease of use, itsme® Sign is a real asset in facilitating customer processes, while contributing to a modern image of the profession. But we don’t limit our services to professionals: private individuals can also benefit from the advantages of electronic signatures.”
The benefits of electronic signatures for SMEs
- Significant time savings: no need to print, hand-sign, scan and return documents.
- Cost savings: savings on paper, ink, postage and physical archiving
- Process acceleration: signature possible in minutes, even remotely
- Modern professional image: Demonstrate your commitment to digital transformation
- Maximum legal security: eIDAS compliance with handwritten signature equivalence
- Full traceability: time-stamping and proof of signatory identity
For private customers too
Access to qualified electronic signatures is not limited to professionals. Private individuals can now benefit from this technology for their personal needs: rental contracts, distance purchases, administrative documents, various agreements.
This democratization enables everyone to benefit from the advantages of dematerialization, while retaining the full legal value of their commitments.
Modern, everyday authentication methods
Simplicity and frequency of use are two essential criteria for the adoption of new digital practices. That’s why the e-Signature.eu portal offers authentication methods that fit naturally into our daily activities.
Electronic identity card (.beID)
The official solution issued by the Belgian authorities. Every Belgian citizen has access to this secure technology, which guarantees certain identification and full eIDAS compliance.
Ideal for : Regular users with a card reader who prefer the official government solution.
itsme® Sign – The mobile revolution
The itsme® Sign solution achieves the feat of meeting the highest eIDAS electronic signature requirements, with its legal equivalence to handwritten signatures, directly from a cell phone.
Unique benefit: No additional hardware required, you can sign anywhere and anytime using your smartphone.
The itsme® Sign promise
It is now possible for anyone to have any document(s) signed at any time and by any smartphone equipped with the itsme® application. This flexibility radically transforms signature processes, eliminating time and location constraints.
Why itsme® will make a difference in 2020
The itsme® application is enjoying massive adoption in Belgium. Already used by millions of Belgians for banking transactions, government identification and online authentication, in 2020 it will become a qualified electronic signature tool.
This familiarity with the interface, and the trust that has already been established, make it considerably easier for users, whether professionals or private individuals, to adopt itsme® Sign.
An interface designed for simplicity
Combining simplicity and security for ease of use: this is the objective of the e-Signature.eu interface.
A three-stage process
Step 1: Identification of signatories
The interface has been designed to be as easy as possible. Only basic information is required: the first name, last name and email address of each signatory are all you need to get started.
Step 2: Uploading documents
The initiator can upload all common document formats: Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), text files, PDF, images (JPG, PNG), regardless of operating system (Windows or Mac).
Step 3: Automatic merging and optimization
The e-Signature.eu online platform automatically merges all documents into a single, size-optimized Acrobat file, which is then submitted in its entirety for signature.
Exceptional speed
It takes just a few minutes to sign documents and receive a signed, secure copy. This efficiency transforms processes that used to take several days into almost instantaneous operations.
Supported formats
The e-Signature.eu platform accepts a wide variety of document formats to meet every need:
- Office documents:.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx
- PDF documents:.pdf (preferred format for electronic signatures)
- Text files:.txt, .rtf
- Images:.jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif
This flexibility ensures that you can have virtually any business or personal document signed without prior conversion.
Prepaid formulas accessible to all
e-Signature.eu’s major innovation lies in its business model: to democratize access to qualified electronic signatures, which until now have been the preserve of high-volume players.
A no-obligation model
e-Signature.eu opens up access to qualified electronic signatures to even the most modest of users, with no obligation whatsoever. No monthly or annual subscription, no minimum volume, no hidden costs.
Transparent, sliding-scale pricing
With prepaid formulas starting at 1 e-Signature and sliding-scale prices (from €4.95 to less than €3.50 excluding VAT), every user profile can find an offer to suit their real needs.
Examples of 2020 pricing
| Volume of signatures | Unit price excl. | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 signature | 4,95 € | – |
| 10 signatures | 4,50 € | 10% discount |
| 20 signatures | 4,20 € | 15% discount |
| 50 signatures | 3,96 € | 20% discount |
| 100 signatures | 3,71 € | 25% discount |
“Our aim is to popularize a proven technology and enable everyone to benefit from the considerable advantages of electronic signatures.”
Who is each formula designed for?
1-5 signatures
Ideal for : Individuals with a one-off need (rental contract, occasional convention) or very small structures testing the solution.
10-25 signatures
Ideal for: Freelancers and micro-businesses with regular but limited needs (monthly customer contracts, supplier agreements).
25+ signatures
Ideal for : Active SMEs with a regular flow of documents to be signed (HR, commercial, legal) benefiting from the best unit price.
Powered by doccle : Warranty of conformity
Doccle is a recognized Trust Service Provider (TSP) and leader in the field of digital administration in Belgium. The company offers electronic signature solutions that comply with European eIDAS regulations.
Doccle technology at the heart of every signature
The doccle solution is at the heart of every signature on e-Signature.eu, guaranteeing four fundamental pillars:
- Author’s identity: certain authentication of the signatory via .beID or itsme®, guaranteeing that the person is who they claim to be.
- Signatory consent: Irrefutable proof that the signatory has agreed to sign the specific document.
- Document integrity: Cryptographic guarantee that the document has not been altered after signing, with any alteration immediately invalidating the signature.
- Probative value in court: legal recognition before national and European courts, equivalence with handwritten signatures under the eIDAS regulation.
“We’re delighted to be able to deploy our technology to make digital signatures accessible to businesses and individuals alike. This great collaboration shows that digitizing the signature is perfectly possible in a very user-friendly way.”
What is eIDAS compliance?
The eIDAS (electronic IDentification, Authentication and trust Services) regulation is the European legal framework governing electronic signatures. It establishes three levels of signature, the highest of which – the Qualified Electronic Signature (QES ) – offers full legal equivalence with handwritten signatures.
Thanks to our partnership with doccle, all signatures created via e-Signature.eu achieve this maximum level of compliance and legal value.
Secure archiving in doccle
Signing a document is only the first step. Secure archiving and long-term preservation are just as important to the probative value of signed documents.
Automatic integration with your doccle account
Almost 2 million Belgians are already receiving, processing and storing documents on doccle in 2020. Documents signed via e-Signature.eu are no exception.
All doccle users, present and future, will be able to automatically retrieve the documents they have signed in their personal doccle account. This seamless integration offers several advantages:
- Centralization: All your important documents in one place
- Security: archiving in a certified, secure environment
- Accessibility: Find your signed documents anytime, anywhere
- Durability: Long-term preservation guaranteed by the Belgian leader in digital administration
Added value of doccle archiving
Electronically signed documents are generally important: contracts, agreements, legal commitments. A quality archiving service therefore represents considerable added value, all the more so when it is provided by the most innovative platform for digital administration in Belgium.
About doccle in 2020
Doccle is Belgium’s largest digital administration platform. Almost 2 million Belgians receive, manage and store documents on doccle.
An application that changes daily life
Thanks to the interactive application that brings all documents together in a reliable digital environment, doccle offers secure, simple and rapid management of personal administration. Users save an average of 31 hours a year – the equivalent of a full working week.
The ambition: 80% of Belgians with a digital mailbox
That’s why doccle is pursuing an ambitious goal: to convince at least 80% of Belgians to create a digital mailbox, thereby contributing to the country’s digital transformation and reducing its ecological footprint.
Connection with eBox
On doccle, every Belgian can receive their government documents by connecting to eBox, the official service of the Belgian federal administration. This integration makes it possible to centralize private and public documents in a single application.
Extensive partnerships
The company works with hundreds of companies and organizations in all sectors:
- Human resources and payroll: Acerta, Attentia, Liantis, Securex, Partena Professional, UCM
- Health and mutual insurance: CM, OZ
- Financial services : KBC
- Telecommunications: Telenet
- Public health: UZA, Vivalia
- Water distribution: De Watergroep, Farys, IWVA, Vivaqua, Water-Link, Watz
- Retail: Colruyt Group
- Environment : Ecowerf
- Public sector: Province of Antwerp, 330+ Belgian municipalities
More than half of the top 25 Belgian companies use doccle to communicate with their customers and employees.
Electronic signatures for the public sector
Doccle supports more than 330 government and local authority organizations using electronic signature functionality to modernize their services to citizens while ensuring legal compliance.
A free business model for users
Doccle is listening to users and companies to continue building a secure, user-friendly digital administration day after day. The application is financed by participating companies, and will continue to be offered free of charge to Belgian citizens.
Key points to remember
- Democratizing qualified signatures: For the first time in 2020, SMEs, the self-employed and private individuals will be able to access eIDAS-compliant qualified electronic signatures with no commitment or subscription.
- itsme® Sign revolutionizes accessibility: Sign documents legally equivalent to a handwritten signature directly from your smartphone, without any additional hardware.
- Pricing adapted to low volumes: Prepaid formulas on a sliding scale from €4.95 to less than €3.50 (excl. VAT) per signature, so you only pay for what you actually use.
- Doccle guarantee: Each signature benefits from the technology of a certified Trusted Service Provider, guaranteeing identity, consent, integrity and probative value in court.
- Secure archiving included: All signed documents are automatically archived in your doccle account, joined by 2 million Belgians who save 31 hours a year.
Ready to adopt electronic signatures?
Join the thousands of SMEs, freelancers and private individuals who simplify their administration with e-Signature.eu. Sign with .beID or itsme® Sign today. No subscription, no commitment, from €4.95 excluding VAT.