Subject: Policy Requirements for Certification Service Providers

From: "Nick Pope" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2000 16:19:24 +0100

A draft specification "Policy Requirements for Certification Service
Providers Issuing Qualified Certificates" is now avilable for public review
and comment on web page:
<http://www.etsi.org/sec/el-sign.htm>

This is being distributed with the following request for comment:

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Request for comments on draft standard
"Policy Requirements for Certification Service Providers
Issuing Qualified Certificates"
 and for contributions on requirements for other classes

The aim of this request is twofold.

1.  Comment on "Policy Requirements for CSPs Issuing Qualified Certificates

The major objective is to receive comments to and the draft identified
above.

The purpose of this standard is to specify policy requirements on the
operation and management of Certification Service Providers issuing
Qualified Certificates as laid down in the European Directive on electronic
signatures (1999/93/EC).   ESI WG plans to finalise the draft by
mid-November. After approval by ETSI SEC the document is due for publication
by the end of the year.

Comments are requested on this document by 15th September 2000.

2. Requirements for other classes

There are strong indications, that the current program should also address
requirements for other trust levels and corresponding classes of
certificates. In order to identify those needs and gather input for
consistent requirements receivers of the present request are asked to
consider contributing with concrete proposals to this area.

The current structure and requirements may serve as a reference and
comparison to define alternative requirements, e.g. for transactions of
lower financial or legal implications. Accuracy of identification of
certificate holders and assurance of trusted hardware and software
components are examples of areas with a need to offer cost-efficient
alternatives.

Comments are requested on this issue by 15th September 2000..

Background

The development of this standard policy document is one of the tasks the
ETSI Electronic Signature and Infrastructure Working Group is progressing
within the European Electronic Signature Standardisation Initiative (EESSI).
The ETSI El Sign Web-site (see below) provides further information about the
ETSI activities and the EESSI program.

Requested action.

Please send your comments and suggestions not later than 15 September to the
ETSI El Sign e-mail list [email-masked], with copy to
[email-masked].   Please put "QCP" at the front of the Subject field of
all submissions to the e-mail list on this topic.

To register with the EL-SIGN list and download the draft document see:

http://www.etsi.org/sec/el-sign.htm

The purpose of the open e-mail list is to stimulate discussion of the
published comments and contributions. Therefore, early submissions are
welcome. We expect that discussions will go on through the open e-mail list
under and after the comments period.

With regards

Nick Pope, Security & Standards
ETSI task leader - Policies for CSPs
[email-masked]

and

György Endersz, Telia Research AB
Chair ETSI ESI Working Group
[email-masked]