Certification authority for electronic communications under Fifth Framework Programme
The European Commission, DG XIII, has published a prior information notice concerning an invitation to tender for a certification service provider for electronic communications to the Commission relating to the implementation of the Fifth RTD Framework Programme. The Commission intends to conclude a contract with a certification service provider for certification services related to electronic communications to the Commission with respect to actions, projects and contracts under the EU's forthcoming Fifth Framework Programme (1998-2002). This certification authority will issue certificates that will allow electronic signatures, in particular signatures in digital form attached to, or logically associated with, electronic messages and used by the person or legal entity having created such messages to indicate that signatory's approval of the content, and which meet the requirements set out in the specifications of the call for tenders. Such certificates shall link a signature verification device to a person or legal entity and shall confirm the identity of that person following registration, identification and verification of certificate content under conditions which will be laid down in the specifications. The certification authority will also provide complementary services closely related to such certification and registration services, the details of which will be described in the specifications. Publication of the invitation to tender, in the Official Journal of the European Communities, is planned for July or August 1998.