Authenticity. An electronic signature is considered to be authentic if it can be proved that the electronic signature was not modified, altered or otherwise compromised after it was placed. The authenticity of an electronic signature is established by the following parameters: i. Association of the electronic signature with a signatory; ii. Indication of the date and time of the electronic signature.
A critical record is a document that, regardless of the storage media, must be protected from damage or destruction to ensure auditability and continuity of critical business functions and information flows. If a critical electronic record has an electronic signature, the critical record must be retained along with its electronic signature and any other associated records necessary to prove the authenticity of the signature (e.g. digital certificate of a digital signature). Records should be retained in accordance with the Record Retention, Data Security and Contingency Policy and with the Record Management Guidelines.
Electronic record. An electronic record is a record in electronic format. This includes, but is not limited to, electronic data interchange, electronic mail and other computer-based programs.
Electronic signature. An electronic signature is an electronic symbol or process that is attached to or logically associated with an electronic record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record. The electronic signature is an integral part of the electronic record and indicates the identity of the signatory. The electronic signature represents the signatory’s acknowledgement, agreement and/or approval of the information contained in the electronic record. Electronic signatures include, among others, digital signatures, which are a type of electronic signature and are therefore covered by this Policy.2 An email may be used to indicate approval under certain business processes, but it does not constitute an electronic signature. Copied-and-pasted images of a signature are not electronic signatures for the purposes of this Policy either.
The signatory is a person who can be uniquely identified and linked to an electronic signature and who has the sole control over the password-authentication key related to the electronic signature. An electronic signature can only be attributed to the person that owns and places the electronic signature in a record and is not attached to the function occupied by the signatory at the time of the placing of the signature. Since the electronic signature is personal, it cannot be shared.
Up to 2013, there was one type of contract used for EU contributions channelled through the UN, called the Standard Contribution Agreement (SCA) with international organizations. Since 2013, in addition to this, the use of the EU Grant Contract was introduced.