ESD Experts Support Trilogue Compromise and Emphasize Necessity for Highest Security of the Internet

Position Papers · November 6, 2023

As the eIDAS 2.0 negotiations enter their final phase, claims emerge that the proposed Article 45 compromise would weaken internet security and force browsers to accept insufficiently secure certificates. ESD experts respond to these claims point by point, explaining why QWACs are not new, why Qualified Trust Service Providers are subject to rigorous European supervision and security requirements, and why the trilogue compromise provides a sound basis for secure website authentication. At the heart of the debate is also a question of governance: additional requirements affecting EU-regulated trust services should not be imposed unilaterally through proprietary browser policies, but developed through transparent, consensus-based standards and the European regulatory framework.