Obtaining and Applying the EPREL Electronic Seal: A Guide
In an effort to ensure the authenticity and integrity of data in the European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL), a verification process has been introduced. This process involves the use of a Qualified Electronic Seal (Qe-Seal), a digital signature issued to companies or organizations, not individuals.
The Importance of the Qe-Seal
The Qe-Seal serves a crucial purpose in the EPREL portal. It verifies the authorization of the "Supplier Admin" to register appliances on behalf of the organization. Moreover, it can be used to digitally sign documents, workflows, or corporate content, certifying their origin, authenticity, and integrity.
Steps to Apply the Qe-Seal in EPREL
To complete the verification and apply the Qe-Seal in the EPREL portal for an EU-registered company, follow these key steps:
- Access EPREL with EU credentials: Register and log in on the EPREL portal using your EU Login credentials, which must be done as a natural person. If this is your first time accessing EPREL and you have not been invited by another admin, you will be automatically prompted to create your organization's profile by entering your company’s details.
- Create the organization profile (if not already done): If your organization's profile does not exist, you will need to create it by entering the relevant company details.
- Start the verification process and download the verification file: Within your organization’s profile, navigate to the "Verification" section and click "Start verification process." You need to enter the name and email of the person who will apply the Qe-Seal. Then download the "Verification file," which is a PDF already electronically sealed by an EU-recognized eSeal.
- Apply the Qualified Electronic Seal (Qe-Seal) to the verification PDF: Sign the downloaded PDF with your company’s Qualified Electronic Seal. The specific method to apply the Qe-Seal depends on the Certification Authority (CA) you use to issue the seal; typically, this involves a digital signing tool or platform compatible with your Qe-Seal certificate.
- Upload the sealed verification file back to EPREL: After sealing the PDF, upload it back into the EPREL portal. The system will process the file and confirm the verification status within a few minutes.
Obtaining a Qualified Electronic Seal
To obtain a Qualified Electronic Seal certified under eIDAS, your company must have a registered office within the EU, EEA, or Northern Ireland. You must follow the certification authority’s identity verification process, such as submitting official company documents and a qualified signature by an authorized person. Some examples of eIDAS-accredited Certification Authorities include Intesa.
The Benefits of the Qe-Seal
The Qe-Seal offers several advantages. For instance, it verifies that the organization has its registered office in the EU, EEA, or Northern Ireland. Moreover, the electronic seal is not tied to a specific individual. Once issued, the company can continue to use it even if the person who initially requested or authorized it leaves the organization or ceases to hold an administrative/legal representative role.
In summary, the process for verifying your identity in EPREL involves logging in, creating a company profile, downloading a verification PDF, signing it with the Qe-Seal, uploading the signed file, and waiting for confirmation. The exact Qe-Seal application method depends on your certificate provider’s tools or APIs. This procedure ensures your company’s identity is verified and legally seals electronic documents in EPREL under EU regulations.
Technology and data-and-cloud-computing play significant roles in the verification process of the European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL). The Qualified Electronic Seal (Qe-Seal), a digital signature, is used to authenticate the supplier admin and ensure the origin, authenticity, and integrity of documents in the EPREL portal. To obtain a Qe-Seal, companies must follow the identity verification process provided by eIDAS-accredited Certification Authorities, which often involve submitting official documents and following provider-specific application methods.
