Qualified e-Archiving: a guide to the new Qualified Digital Archiving
What is Qualified Legal Archiving and when will it be available?
With the introduction of Qualified e-Archiving, the eIDAS 2.0 regulation marks a turning point in digital archiving management in Europe, offering a new standard of security and reliability for the long-term protection of electronic documents.
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In the increasingly digitalized landscape in which businesses and public administrations operate, electronic archiving plays a crucial role in the secure and long-lasting management of documents. With the evolution of European regulations, particularly due to the revision of the eIDAS regulation (eIDAS 2.0), a new trust service could transform the way we think about digital archiving: Qualified e-Archiving. This service, representing an advanced and “qualified” version of the Italian Legal Archiving, aims to create a harmonized regulatory framework across the European Union, providing an international guarantee on the durability, readability, and integrity of digital documents over time.
The eIDAS regulation, approved by the European Commission in June 2021 and published in the Official Gazette in 2024, has emphasized the digitalization of services and the importance of a secure and reliable digital identity ecosystem. However, among the new features introduced, Qualified e-Archiving, although less discussed, promises to revolutionize the trust services sector by introducing common standards that could simplify regulatory compliance and improve interoperability between the EU member states.
The revision of the eIDAS Regulation and the new changes introduced
The revision of the eIDAS regulation, known as eIDAS 2.0, marks a significant step toward building a more cohesive and secure European digital market. Initiated by the European Commission in June 2021 and culminating with its publication in the Official Gazette in 2024, this revision has introduced important changes that affect various aspects of digitalization, including digital identities, electronic signatures, and trust services.
One of the main innovations introduced by eIDAS 2.0 is the inclusion of e-Archiving among trust services. This new category of services was designed to address the growing need for harmonized archiving solutions across the EU that not only securely store electronic documents but also guarantee their durability, integrity, and proof of authenticity over time. The regulation thus introduces a uniform European framework, long desired by industry stakeholders and AgID, to regulate electronic archiving and ensure that digital documents retain their legal validity over the years.
In addition to qualified archiving, eIDAS 2.0 has made significant changes to the European digital identity system, facilitating interoperability between member states and promoting the adoption of common digital identities. These changes aim to strengthen trust in digital services and encourage greater adoption of digital solutions in both the public and private sectors.
The revision of eIDAS represents not only an update to existing regulations but also an expansion of opportunities for trust service providers to innovate and offer new services, such as Qualified e-Archiving, which are set to transform the landscape of digital archiving in Europe.
What is Qualified e-Archiving: definition and objectives
Qualified e-Archiving is an advanced version of e-Archiving (electronic archiving) introduced by the eIDAS 2.0 regulation. This service ensures the preservation, integrity, and readability of digital documents over time, ensuring that they maintain their legal validity. Compared to traditional compliant archiving, Qualified e-Archiving requires adherence to higher standards, creating a harmonized regulatory framework at the European level. The goal is to ensure greater security and reliability in digital preservation and facilitate interoperability between different archiving systems.
Differences between Legal Archiving and Qualified e-Archiving
Legal archiving and Qualified e-Archiving are two concepts that, while having similar objectives, present significant differences, especially in terms of regulation and application. In Italy, compliant archiving is regulated by a series of rules that ensure that digital documents are preserved in a way that guarantees their authenticity, integrity, reliability, and readability over time. This process involves not only the simple storage of documents but also a series of procedures (such as metadata tagging and applying an electronic signature) to ensure their legal validity.
Qualified e-Archiving, introduced by the eIDAS 2.0 regulation, extends these principles across Europe, providing a common regulatory framework that standardizes electronic archiving procedures throughout the European Union. Unlike compliant archiving, which is specific to Italy, Qualified e-Archiving aims to create a harmonized system that facilitates interoperability among the EU member states. Furthermore, providers of this service must meet stricter technical and security standards, elevating the level of protection and reliability offered.
While legal archiving remains a fundamental pillar for the management of digital documents in Italy, Qualified e-Archiving represents a regulatory evolution that aims to standardize and enhance digital preservation at the European level, offering greater security and legal compliance guarantees.
Impact of e-Archiving in Italy
Although Italian regulations distinguish between the terms archiving and digital preservation, a quick comparison of the eIDAS 2.0 text, Article 20 of the CAD, and the AgID Guidelines on the formation, management, and preservation of digital documents reveals the recurrence of terminology and the overlap of fundamental concepts defining the two services.
We can therefore state that the Italian regulatory framework and the providers of preservation services (particularly Qualified Preservers for public administrations) are in a favorable position compared to other European countries. However, the introduction of e-Archiving among qualified services will have a significant impact on the preservation services market, certainly improving interoperability but also increasing competition among EU providers.
How to implement Qualified e-Archiving: expectations and requirements
Implementing Qualified e-Archiving will require careful preparation from trust service providers, awaiting the publication of the implementing acts by the European Commission, expected to start in November 2024. These acts will provide the detailed guidelines and technical specifications necessary to ensure compliance with the eIDAS 2.0 requirements.
In Italy, qualified trust service providers (QTSPs) like Intesa, which already offers qualified electronic signature services, electronic seals, and timestamps, are in a favorable position to integrate Qualified e-Archiving into their offerings. Intesa, also a Qualified Preservation Provider recognized by AgID, already has the infrastructure and experience required to handle this transition. The company is closely following the development of European regulations and is preparing to meet the necessary technical and compliance requirements to obtain certification for Qualified e-Archiving.
The first step to implementing Qualified e-Archiving will be to conduct a detailed analysis of technical and regulatory requirements, followed by adapting existing infrastructures. It will be essential to ensure that systems are capable of meeting the integrity, authenticity, and readability standards required for the entire document preservation period. Additionally, providers like Intesa will need to prepare for inspections and audits by the competent authorities to obtain the necessary certification.
Implementing Qualified e-Archiving represents a significant challenge but also a great opportunity for providers like Intesa to strengthen their position in the European trust services market.