Studies on preparatory work for European Trust Services

As part of its work on the security of information systems, DG XIII of the European Commission is inviting proposals for studies on preparatory work for European Trust Services (ETS). The tender concerns preparatory work on the operational, technical and legal aspects forming...

As part of its work on the security of information systems, DG XIII of the European Commission is inviting proposals for studies on preparatory work for European Trust Services (ETS).

The tender concerns preparatory work on the operational, technical and legal aspects forming a baseline to support the action foreseen in the area of ETS, which will secure information such as signatures, envelopes, registration, sealing, depositing and special delivery by electronic equivalents.

The need to complete the study of the issues within the workplan for 1996/1997 is based on the growing diversity of telematics services and applications in the security of information systems. These needs evolve with demands to reduce the threats to privacy and safety while avoiding the obstruction of innovation or economic and social developments.

The studies will tackle the area of ETS infrastructure specification, design and implementation in the form of "pilots", as well as performing studies on functions. From an organizational and management point of view, these functions are:

2.1. Name authentication (authentication of individuals, enterprises, names and addresses);
2.2. Certification (e.g. validation of a name);
2.3. Key management (e.g. generation of key pairs);
2.4. Directory management (administration of directories);
2.5. Inter-domain communication (e.g. establishing links);
2.6. Legal services (e.g. legal acceptance of digital signatures);
2.7. Document transactions (electronic shares).

These functions will be analysed in three different lots:

- Lot 1 covering functions 2.3 2.5 and 2.7;
- Lot 2 covering functions 2.1 2.2 and 2.4;
- Lot 3 covering function 2.6.

Each lot requires functional specifications, functional design, and assessment criteria. Lots 1 and 2 require setting up and testing a small "pilot" in relation to one of the functions analysed in the lot. Lot 3 requires an investigation based on currently existing and planned legal frameworks.
Requests for the tenders documents, and completed tenders, must be submitted to:

European Commission
DG XIII - Telecommunications, information market and exploitation of research
Unit XIII/7 - Security of telecommunication and information systems
Mrs. F. Allan
200 rue de la Loi (BU9 2/23)
B-1049 Brussels
Tel. [phone]; Fax [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]