In 2026, the eIDAS 2.0 regulation 1 will reshuffle the deck of digital trust in Europe: new rules, digital identity, more regulated service providers... and, in the midst of it all, your HR, purchasing, and legal contracts that must continue to run smoothly. This article shows you exactly what will change (and what will remain the same) for your signatures, how to adjust your simple/advanced/qualified signature levels, and how a trusted player like Docoon can help you implement this new system—without turning your daily life into a permanent regulatory construction site.
What is eIDAS 2.0?
eIDAS 2.0 is the update toRegulation No. 910/2014 of July 23, 2014, on electronic identification and trust services for online transactions in the EU. It retains the main principles of eIDAS 1.0 (legal value of electronic signatures, three levels of signatures, trusted lists) but extends and strengthens the framework to keep pace with the massive digitization of uses.
Specifically,eIDAS 2.0has three objectives:
- Provide a unified framework for European digital identity;
- Strengthen the security and reliability of trusted services (signature, seal, timestamp, qualified archiving, etc.);
- Facilitate cross-border transactions by imposing common standards on all Member States.
The flagship new feature is the EUDI Wallet,a European digital identity walletthat allows citizens to store and present attributes (identity, age, qualifications, signing powers, etc.) to authenticate themselves and sign online. For businesses, this Wallet promises faster advanced or qualified signature processes, with better identity verification and reduced document fraud.
eIDAS 2.0 electronic signature 2026: what's changing
eIDAS 2.0 does not create new signature levels, but strengthens the conditions for implementing advanced and qualified signatures.
The main impacts:
- Identity verification: upgrading of identification schemes (high assurance level schemes) and increased use of digital identity to access advanced/qualified signatures.
- Trusted service providers: stricter requirements for security, supervision, and new qualified services (remote signing, qualified archiving, attribute attestations).
- Enhanced proof: stricter traceability requirements (logging, time stamping, storage) to ensure that the signature remains legally binding over time.
In 2026, you will still be free to use a simple, advanced, or qualified signature, but you will have to be more rigorous about "who signs what, how, and with what level of proof" and about your choice of service providers.
eIDAS 2.0 electronic signature 2026 timeline:
Starting in 2026: Wallet available in all states, providers notified. 2026-2027: mandatory qualified services, interconnection of trusted lists. 2027+: Wallet accepted by major platforms (banks, government agencies).
Concrete impacts for legal, procurement, and HR teams
For legal matters, the key issue is governance: up-to-date signature policies, document mapping, and validation of eIDAS 2.0 compliance for the service providers used(status, trusted lists, qualified services). Teams must clarify the required level (simple, advanced, qualified) for each type of contract and document this matrix to limit case-by-case decisions.
For purchasing and finance,eIDAS 2.0 provides an opportunity to secure high-stakes contracts(framework agreements, public procurement contracts, guarantees, bank commitments) with advanced or qualified signatures, while streamlining the signing of purchase orders and "standard" contracts. On the HR side, the challenge is to formalize where a simple signature is sufficient(low-risk onboarding documents) and where an advanced signature becomes non-negotiable (employment contracts, amendments, terminations, settlement agreements).
The common denominator:build a "document type/signature level/risk/parties" matrix aligned with eIDAS 2.0, then integrate it into your software (ERP, HRIS, purchasing tools, CRM) so that the correct level is applied automatically.
Docoon.sign: setting the matrix to music
Docoon.signis part of the Docoon ecosystem, which already focuses on electronic invoicing, EDI, and digital trust services. In practical terms,this means that signing is not an isolated module, but a natural link in your document flows: contracts, purchase orders, terms and conditions, invoices, amendments, etc.
Example: Docoon.sign is automatically integrated into the Docoon Approved Platform to manage your invoices as part of the electronic invoicing reform.
Result:you streamline the entire process, from contract to invoice, without any tool disruptions or manual export/import.
Docoon.sign isthe choice for an electronic signaturethat complies with current eIDAS and RGS requirements,covering the vast majority of HR, purchasing, and legal use cases. For each type of document, you can set the required signature level in line with your internal matrix and eIDAS 2.0 requirements.
In addition to personalized signatures, Docoon.sign allows you to add an electronic stamp in the name of your company, which is useful for certifying documents issued in bulk (invoices, attestations, certificates). This stamp reinforces the authenticity and traceability of your flowswhile remaining easy to integrate into your automated processes(API, SaaS portal, Windows automation available 24/7).
In addition, the solution adds qualified time stamping and electronic archiving with probative value: you have a complete evidence file(identity, date and time, file integrity, action history) for each signed document. For your legal, purchasing, or HR teams, this greatly simplifiesthe management of potential disputesand audit requirements, within a framework compatible with eIDAS 2.0.
Conclusion:The Docoon.sign solution meets the most stringent requirements of European legislation. It signs PDF documents in accordance with RGS. 2 via an HSM (high-security hardware) as soon as the PDF document is retrieved, in order to guarantee the identity of the issuer and the integrity of the document (non-modifiable PDF).
Ready to take your contracts to the next level? Request a demo of Docoon.sign with our expertsSecure your data flows and save your teams time—in just a few clicks.
Docoon.sign vs other signature solutions
Criterion | Docoon.sign | Yousign / Docusign / other major solutions |
Positioning | Signature solution integrated into a trusted digital platform (electronic invoicing, EDI, Chorus Pro). | Solutions often focused solely on electronic signatures and agreement management. |
Available signature levels | Qualified signature, compliant with current eIDAS and RGS requirements, suitable for HR, purchasing, and legal use. | Simple signature, advanced signature, sometimes qualified depending on the service provider. |
Electronic stamp (server stamp) | Integrated electronic seal for signing on behalf of the company (bulk documents). | Feature available depending on the offer, often reserved for advanced plans. |
Timestamp | Time stamping based on qualified eIDAS certificates, included in document flows. | Timestamp generally offered, qualified or not depending on the options. |
Electronic archiving with probative value | Evidential archiving included in the solution, hosted in France, ISO 27001 certified. | Variable archiving depending on the publisher, sometimes optional or outsourced. |
Integration into business software | API, SaaS portal, and components for ERP, HRIS, business tools, and billing flows. | Numerous APIs and connectors, but less focused on B2B billing channels. |
Compliance and security | A trusted French digital player, member of FnTC/EESPA, certified ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and ISO 14001, and compliant with NF Z 42-013 / NF 461 and eIDAS standards. | Major global players, eIDAS/GDPR compliance, but governance sometimes outside the EU. |
eIDAS 2.0 in practice: your action plan for 2026
Audit your current contracts and practices
List the main types of signed documents (HR, purchasing, legal, finance) and the associated volumes. Identify the level of risk and the cases where electronic signatures are already used... or not yet.
Update your signature matrix
For each type of document, define the target level (simple, advanced, qualified) based on risk, amount, parties, and regulatory constraints. Formalize this matrix in a written policy approved by the legal department and the CFO.
Check the status of your trusted provider
Check its compliance with the eIDAS regulation (and eIDAS 2.0), its certifications, its presence on trusted lists, and its ability to handle new uses (remote signing, probative archiving, enhanced identity). Clarify its roadmap for 2026.
Align your business tools with the new matrix
Implement signature levels in your ERP, HRIS, purchasing, and CRM tools: the right workflows, the right templates, the right default signature level. The goal: for your teams to automatically trigger the right signature, without having to worry about legal issues on a daily basis.
Signature + electronic invoicing: the winning combination Docoon
By combining electronic signatures and electronic invoicing on a single compliance platform, Docoon enables you to industrialize your entire document flow, from contract signing to invoice issuance.
Rather than juxtaposing several heterogeneous building blocks, you base your contracts, purchase orders, invoices, and amendments on the same guarantees: verified identity, reliable time stamping, electronic seals, and conclusive archiving.
The result: fewer chain breaks, less re-entry, fewer risks... and workflows that are truly designed for volume, with a "production line" approach to documents rather than a series of one-off actions. With Docoon, the comparison is no longer just about signature features. but on the ability to industrialize your end-to-end B2B flows, based on a unified regulatory framework.
FAQ: eIDAS 2.0 (5 questions)
1) Simple, advanced, qualified electronic signatures: what difference does it make for my business?
Simple signatures are suitable for low-stakes documents, advanced signatures cover the majority of HR, purchasing, and commercial contracts, and qualified signatures are reserved for documents with very high legal or regulatory significance.
The right approach is to map your documents, assess the risks (legal, financial, reputational), and assign a target signature level to each family, rather than choosing a single level for everything.
2) When do I absolutely have to use a qualified signature?
You use qualified signatures when required by law or regulation (certain authentic instruments, public procurement, KYC procedures 3, etc.) or when the risk of litigation and international scope are particularly high.
In all other cases, an advanced signature provided by a reputable trusted service provider is generally sufficient to secure your contractual commitments.
3) Do we need to change all our contracts because of eIDAS 2.0?
No: eIDAS 2.0 does not invalidate your current signatures, but it does impose stricter rules on how evidence is produced and stored.
The important thing is to check that your future contracts are based on service providers that comply with the new regulation and that your processes follow best practices for identity verification and archiving.
4) How do I know if my signature provider is ready for eIDAS 2.0?
Check its presence on trusted lists, its positioning in relation to new qualified services (remote signing, archiving, etc.) and its Wallet/EUDI roadmap.
5) What is the link between eIDAS 2.0 and electronic invoicing?
Both contribute to the same digital trust framework: verified identity, seals, time stamps, conclusive archiving, and European interoperability of B2B flows.
Key points to remember eIDAS 2.0 electronic signature 2026
3 signature levels unchanged, enhanced evidence.
EUDI Wallet: Simplified ID 2026-2027.
Risk/document matrix: simple (onboarding), advanced (contracts), qualified (public procurement).
Compliant service provider: trusted lists + qualified services.
Docoon.sign: qualified signature + stamp + timestamp + archiving in a unified workflow.
IIndustrialize your entire document flow with Docoon, from contract signing to invoice issuance.
(1) The eIDAS Regulation applies to electronic identification, trust services, and electronic documents. It aims to establish an interoperability framework for the various systems set up within Member States in order to promote the development of a digital trust market.
(2) RGS: General Security Reference System (RGS). This reference system sets out, according to the level of security required, the rules that must be followed by certain functions contributing to information security, including electronic signatures, authentication, confidentiality, and time stamping.
(3) KYC, or Know Your Customer, is the procedure implemented by companies and banks to verify the identity of their customers or legal entities in accordance with applicable customer due diligence regulations.
