Electronic Signature RegulationELECTRONIC SIGNATURE REGULATION: AN EARLY SCORECARD — COMPARING ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES LEGISLATION IN THE US AND THE EUROPEAN UNION

While its cryptic wizardry remains little understood by the average citizen, electronic signatures have been dubbed a cornerstone of the information economy. Over the last two years legislatures on both sides of the Atlantic have rushed to enact electronic signature statutes to provide appropriate legal frameworks for their use. In this article we compare the United States ESIGN Act with the European Union Electronic Signatures Directive and provide a brief assessment of where the two sides “got it right” as legislative drivers of enhanced electronic signature use and acceptance. This brief assessment cannot substitute for a full-fledged and in-depth analysis, but we are confident it offers a helpful first overview.