Electronic Signatures in Belgium: Tools and Legal Value

Electronic signatures have become an essential tool for Belgian businesses. According to the FPS Economy, more than 60% of Belgian companies with over 10 employees now use electronic signatures for at least some of their documents. Belgium has a unique asset in Europe: the itsme app, used by more than 8 million Belgians, which allows people to sign electronically with legal value equivalent to a handwritten signature.

This article details the different types of electronic signatures recognised in Belgium, their legal value, the tools available and the best practices your business should adopt.

The Legal Framework for Electronic Signatures in Belgium

The eIDAS Regulation

Electronic signatures in Belgium are governed by the eIDAS Regulation (electronic IDentification, Authentication and trust Services), in force since 1 July 2016. This regulation is directly applicable in every EU member state, including Belgium, with no need for transposition into national law.

The eIDAS Regulation defines three levels of electronic signature, each with a different legal value:

The Three Levels of Electronic Signature

1. Simple Electronic Signature (SES)

Definition: any electronic data attached to other electronic data to sign. Examples: clicking "I accept", signing with a finger on a tablet, ticking a box.

Legal value in Belgium:

• Admissible as evidence before Belgian courts
• Cannot be refused solely because it is in electronic form
• Its evidential weight is left to the judge's discretion
• Does not presume the document's integrity or the signatory's identity

Typical use cases:

• General terms and conditions of sale
• Internal purchase orders
• Newsletters and consent forms
• Low-risk internal documents

2. Advanced Electronic Signature (AES)

Definition: an electronic signature that meets the following requirements:

• Uniquely linked to the signatory
• Capable of identifying the signatory
• Created using data the signatory can use under their sole control
• Linked to the signed data so that any later change is detectable

Legal value in Belgium:

• Stronger evidential weight
• Judges generally give more weight to this type of signature
• Sufficient for the vast majority of commercial contracts

Typical use cases:

• Commercial contracts (B2B and B2C)
• Quotes and purchase orders
• Employment contracts (with some exceptions)
• Administrative documents

3. Qualified Electronic Signature (QES)

Definition: an advanced electronic signature created using a qualified signature creation device and based on a qualified certificate.

Legal value in Belgium:

• Equivalent to a handwritten signature (Article 25.2 of the eIDAS Regulation)
• Presumption that the document is intact
• Presumption of the signatory's identity
• Automatically recognised across all EU member states
• Reversed burden of proof: whoever disputes the signature must prove it is invalid

Typical use cases:

• Notarial deeds
• Belgian public procurement
• Major contracts
• Official documents filed with Belgian authorities
• Corporate deeds (amendments to articles of association, AGM minutes)

Summary Table of Signature Levels

Documents That Require a Qualified Signature in Belgium

Some documents legally require a qualified electronic signature in Belgium:

• Notarial deeds (authentic acts): a qualified electronic signature is accepted by Belgian notaries via the Fednot platform
• Public procurement: electronic submissions for Belgian public tenders (via e-Procurement) require a qualified signature
• Annual accounts: filing annual accounts with the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) via the XBRL platform can be done with a qualified signature
• Tax returns: returns filed via MyMinfin use eID or itsme

Belgium's Electronic Signature Ecosystem

itsme: The Belgian Cornerstone

itsme is Belgium's digital identity app, developed by Belgian Mobile ID (a consortium of the country's main banks and telecom operators). In 2026, more than 8 million Belgians use itsme.

Signing capabilities:

• Qualified electronic signature (the highest eIDAS level)
• Certified identification of the signatory
• Compatible with the Belgian electronic identity card (eID)
• Accepted by every Belgian public authority
• Recognised across the entire EU

How it works:

1. The user receives a signature request on their smartphone
2. They open the itsme app
3. They review the document to be signed
4. They confirm with their PIN code or biometric data
5. The qualified signature is applied

itsme integration: many electronic signature tools integrate itsme as an identification and signing method. This is a major advantage for Belgian businesses.

The Belgian Electronic Identity Card (eID)

The Belgian eID card contains a qualified electronic signature certificate. It can be used to sign documents electronically via an eID card reader.

Advantages:

• Qualified signature at no extra cost (the eID card is free)
• Recognised by every Belgian public authority
• Valid across the entire EU

Drawbacks:

• Requires a card reader (around EUR 10-15)
• Less convenient than itsme (you need both the card and the reader)
• The certificate expires with the card (every 10 years, or 6 years for under-18s)

The 7 Best Electronic Signature Tools for Belgian Businesses

1. Connective (SignHere)

Origin: Belgium (Wavre)
Price: from EUR 25/month (Business plan)
Free trial: demo available

Connective is the Belgian leader in electronic signatures. Based in Wavre, the company supplies signature solutions to numerous Belgian businesses and public authorities.

Key features:

• Simple, advanced and qualified signatures
• Native integration with itsme and the Belgian eID
• Signing workflows (multiple signatories, signing order)
• Reusable document templates
• API for integration into your own applications
• Secure archiving of signed documents
• Full audit trail

Strengths for Belgium:

• A Belgian company, based in Wavre
• A qualified trust service provider under eIDAS, listed on the Belgian trusted list (TSL)
• Native itsme integration
• Support in French and Dutch
• Compliant with Belgian and European legislation
• Used by major Belgian institutions (banks, insurers, public authorities)

Best for: medium to large Belgian businesses that regularly need qualified signatures.

2. DocuSign

Origin: United States
Price: from EUR 10/month/user (Personal plan), EUR 25/month/user (Standard)
Free trial: 30 days

DocuSign is the world leader in electronic signatures. It offers a complete solution with international recognition.

Key features:

• Simple and advanced signatures (qualified via partners)
• Complex signing workflows
• Templates and smart fields
• Integration with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Salesforce
• Mobile app
• More than 400 integrations

Strengths for Belgium:

• Internationally recognised
• Data hosted in the EU (Germany)
• French-language interface
• eIDAS and GDPR compliant
• Qualified signature available via integration with qualified providers

Weaknesses for Belgium:

• No native itsme integration
• Prices in dollars, subject to exchange-rate fluctuation
• Technical support mainly in English
• Qualified signature requires additional modules

3. Yousign

Origin: France
Price: from EUR 15/month (One plan, for 1 user)
Free trial: 14 days

Yousign is a fast-growing European solution, particularly popular with French-speaking SMEs.

Key features:

• Simple and advanced signatures
• Qualified signature via video identity verification
• Very intuitive French-language interface
• API available
• Document templates
• Automatic reminders

Strengths for Belgium:

• A European company, with data hosted in the EU (France)
• 100% French-language interface
• Competitive pricing
• Simple and fast to set up
• GDPR and eIDAS compliant
• Support in French

Weaknesses:

• No itsme integration
• No Dutch-language interface
• Qualified signature only via video verification (not via eID)

Best for: French-speaking Belgian SMEs looking for a simple, affordable solution.

4. Adobe Acrobat Sign

Origin: United States
Price: from EUR 12.99/month/user
Free trial: 7 days

Adobe Acrobat Sign is built into the Adobe ecosystem (PDF, Acrobat). It's a robust solution for businesses already using Adobe tools.

Key features:

• Simple, advanced and qualified signatures (via trust service providers)
• Native integration with Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft 365
• Complex workflows
• Web forms and templates
• Mobile app

Strengths: native PDF integration, brand recognition, eIDAS compliance.
Weaknesses: high price, no itsme integration, sometimes complex interface.

5. HelloSign (Dropbox Sign)

Origin: United States (Dropbox)
Price: from USD 15/month
Free trial: 30 days

A simple, elegant solution built into the Dropbox ecosystem.

Strengths: ease of use, good entry-level price, powerful API.
Weaknesses: no qualified signature, no itsme integration, no Dutch language.

6. SignRequest (by Box)

Origin: Netherlands
Price: from EUR 8/month
Free trial: 14 days

An affordable European solution with good value for money.

Strengths for Belgium: a European company, data hosted in the EU, competitive pricing, Dutch-language interface available.

7. Skribble

Origin: Switzerland
Price: from EUR 12/month
Free trial: available

Skribble is a Swiss solution offering all three eIDAS signature levels with a simple interface.

Strengths for Belgium: all three eIDAS levels, data hosted in Switzerland/EU, French-language interface, high compliance standards.

Comparison Table

*QES via trust service providers or additional modules

Which Signature Type for Which Document in Belgium?

Documents Where a Simple Signature Is Enough

• Internal acknowledgements of receipt
• Internal memos
• Internal reports
• Satisfaction forms
• Low-stakes internal documents

Documents Where an Advanced Signature Is Recommended

• Commercial contracts (sale of goods, supply of services)
• Quotes and purchase orders approved by the client
• Employment contracts (Belgian law has accepted electronic signatures for employment contracts since the Law of 3 June 2007)
• Commercial leases
• NDAs (confidentiality agreements)
• General terms and conditions of sale approved by the client

Documents Where a Qualified Signature Is Mandatory or Strongly Recommended

• Public procurement: submissions via Belgian e-Procurement require a qualified signature
• Notarial deeds: property sales, incorporating a company, amending articles of association
• Filing annual accounts with the NBB
• Tax returns (via MyMinfin with eID or itsme)
• Documents for the Belgian Official Gazette (Moniteur belge)
• Contracts involving property rights (sale, mortgage)

Practical Guide: Rolling Out Electronic Signatures in Your Belgian Business

Step 1: Assess Your Needs

Answer these questions:

1. How many documents do you sign per month?
2. What types of documents? (contracts, quotes, internal documents…)
3. Do you need qualified signatures?
4. How many people need to be able to send signature requests?
5. Do you need integrations with other tools (CRM, ERP)?

Step 2: Choose the Right Tool

• Fewer than 10 documents/month: Yousign or SignRequest (basic plan)
• 10-50 documents/month: DocuSign Standard or Connective Business
• More than 50 documents/month: Connective Enterprise or DocuSign Business
• Regular need for qualified signatures: Connective with itsme integration

Step 3: Roll Out and Train

1. Create your account and set up your document templates
2. Define your signing workflows (who signs, in what order)
3. Train your staff (30 minutes is usually enough)
4. Test with internal documents before moving to client documents
5. Let your clients and partners know you accept electronic signatures

Step 4: Archive Correctly

In Belgium, commercial documents must be kept for 7 years (Article 2262bis of the Civil Code). Electronically signed documents must be archived in a way that guarantees:

• The document's integrity over time
• Accessibility and readability
• The ability to verify the signature at any time

Tip: use a qualified electronic archiving service, or keep signed documents in their original format (signed PDF) in secure storage.

Tax Aspects and Deductibility

The cost of electronic signature tools is 100% deductible as a business expense in Belgium, for sole traders and companies alike.

In addition, regional digitalisation grants can cover part of the cost:

• Wallonia: business vouchers (chèques-entreprises), covering up to 75% of support costs
• Brussels: digital transition grant (up to EUR 5,000)
• Flanders: KMO-portefeuille (30-40% in subsidies)

Conclusion

Electronic signatures save Belgian businesses considerable time and money. With itsme and the eID card, Belgium has a qualified electronic signature ecosystem accessible to everyone. For most Belgian SMEs, we recommend Connective (a Belgian solution with itsme integration) for regular qualified-signature needs, and Yousign or DocuSign for everyday advanced signatures.

Remember that electronic signatures aren't just a tool: they're also a signal of modernity and professionalism to your clients and partners. In 2026, sending a document to be signed by post is increasingly seen as an avoidable waste of time.

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This article was written by the Espero-Soft team for the blog dedicated to entrepreneurs in Belgium. For personalised advice, consult a professional.