Legislation permitting e-signature comes into force today

The law on electronic signatures comes into force today, but it will take many months before the first e-signature is used. The system's launch requires the so-called public key infrastructure to ensure its security. Furthermore, companies wanting to issue e-signatures need to be registered. The Economy Ministry is responsible for administering the system, but it is not yet clear which company will be in charge of the register on the M inistry's behalf. Jerzy Molak, head of the Ministry's Department of Trade and Services, says it is likely to be Centrast, a subsidiary of the National Bank of Poland (NBP). However, several other companies are also interested in the prestigious contract and want a public tender to choose the company responsible for the administration of such an important register. Once registered, companies will issue e-signatures to individuals, charging them from around zl. 50 to zl. 600, estimate experts. Meanwhile, such companies will jointly invest around zl. 40 million in the necessary infrastructure. (Puls Biznesu, p.4) T.J.