advanced electronic signature — an electronic signature which meets the following requirements: it is uniquely linked to the signatory; it is capable of identifying the signatory; it is created using means that the signatory can maintain under his sole control; and it is linked to the data to which it relates in such a manner that any subsequent change of the data is detectable 2.

certificate — an electronic attestation which links signature-verification data to a person and confirms the identity of that person 9.

certification-service-provider — an entity or a legal or natural person who issues certificates or provides other services related to electronic signatures 11.

electronic signature — data in electronic form which are attached to or logically associated with other electronic data and which serve as a method of authentication 1.

electronic-signature product — hardware or software, or relevant components thereof, which are intended to be used by a certification-service-provider for the provision of electronic-signature services or are intended to be used for the creation or verification of electronic signatures 12.

qualified certificate — a certificate which meets the requirements laid down in Annex I and is provided by a certification-service-provider who fulfils the requirements laid down in Annex II 10.

secure-signature-creation device — a signature-creation device which meets the requirements laid down in Annex III 6.

signatory — a person who holds a signature-creation device and acts either on his own behalf or on behalf of the natural or legal person or entity he represents 3.

signature-creation data — unique data, such as codes or private cryptographic keys, which are used by the signatory to create an electronic signature 4.

signature-creation device — configured software or hardware used to implement the signature-creation data 5.

signature-verification device — configured software or hardware used to implement the signature-verification-data 8.

signature-verification-data — data, such as codes or public cryptographic keys, which are used for the purpose of verifying an electronic signature 7.

voluntary accreditation — any permission, setting out rights and obligations specific to the provision of certification services, to be granted upon request by the certification-service-provider concerned, by the public or private body charged with the elaboration of, and supervision of compliance with, such rights and obligations, where the certification-service-provider is not entitled to exercise the rights stemming from the permission until it has received the decision by the body 13.