L 13/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 19.1.2000 DIRECTIVE 1999/93/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 13 December 1999 on a Community framework for electronic signatures THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE (5)  The interoperability of electronic-signature products EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Articles 47(2), 55 and 95 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (3), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (%), Whereas: (1)  On 16 April 1997 the Commission presented to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions a Communication on a European Initiative in Electronic Commerce; (2)  On 8 October 1997 the Commission presented to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions a Communication on ensuring security and trust in elec- tronic communication — towards a European frame- work for digital signatures and encryption; (3)  On 1 December 1997 the Council invited the Commis- sion to submit as soon as possible a proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on digital signatures; (4 Electronic communication and commerce necessitate electronic signatures’ and related services allowing data authentication; divergent rules with respect to legal recognition of electronic signatures and the accreditation of certification-service providers in the Member States may create a significant barrier to the use of electronic communications and electronic commerce; on the other hand, a clear Community framework regarding the conditions applying to electronic signatures will strengthen confidence in, and general acceptance of, the new technologies; legislation in the Member States should not hinder the free movement of goods and services in the internal market; 1 () O] C 325, 23.10.1998, p. 5. () O] C 40, 15.2.1999, p. 29. () O] C 93, 6.4.1999, p. 33. (*) Opinion of the European Parliament of 13 January 1999 (O] C 104, 14.4.1999, p. 49), Council Common Position of 28 June 1999 (O] C 243, 27.8.1999, p. 33) and Decision of the European Parlia- ment of 27 October 1999 (not yet published in the Official Journal). Council Decision of 30 November 1999. should be promoted; in accordance with Article 14 of the Treaty, the internal market comprises an area without internal frontiers in which the free movement of goods is ensured; essential requirements specific to elec- tronic-signature products must be met in order to ensure free movement within the internal market and to build trust in electronic signatures, without prejudice to Council Regulation (EC) No 3381/94 of 19 December 1994 setting up a Community regime for the control of exports of dual-use goods (°) and Council Decision 94/ 942/CFSP of 19 December 1994 on the joint action adopted by the Council concerning the control of exports of dual-use goods (°); (6)  This Directive does not harmonise the provision of services with respect to the confidentiality of informa- tion where they are covered by national provisions concerned with public policy or public security; (7)  The internal market ensures the free movement of persons, as a result of which citizens and residents of the European Union increasingly need to deal with authori- ties in Member States other than the one in which they reside; the availability of electronic communication could be of great service in this respect; (8)  Rapid technological development and the global char- acter of the Internet necessitate an approach which is open to various technologies and services capable of authenticating data electronically; (9)  Electronic signatures will be used in a large variety of circumstances and applications, resulting in a wide range of new services and products related to or using elec- tronic signatures; the definition of such products and services should not be limited to the issuance and management of certificates, but should also encompass any other service and product using, or ancillary to, electronic signatures, such as registration services, time- stamping services, directory services, computing services or consultancy services related to electronic signatures; (10) The internal market enables certification-service- providers to develop their cross-border activities with a view to increasing their competitiveness, and thus to offer consumers and businesses new opportunities to exchange information and trade electronically in a secure way, regardless of frontiers; in order to stimulate the Community-wide provision of certification services over open networks, certification-service-providers should be free to provide their services without prior authorisation; prior authorisation means not only any () OJ L 367, 31.12.1994, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 837/95 (O L 90, 21.4.1995, p. 1). (®) OJ L 367, 31.12.1994, p. 8. Decision as last amended by Decision 99/193/CFSP (O] L 73, 19.3.1999, p. 1).