German Antitrust Authority Bundeskartellamt Raises Serious Concerns That Browser/EFF Opposition to eIDAS Article 45 Violates Antitrust Law

Position Papers · April 19, 2022

During the legislative process for the revision of eIDAS, ESD highlights the findings of the German Bundeskartellamt concerning browser practices around website identity information and the recognition of Qualified Trust Service Providers. The German authority examined Google’s practices and concluded that key issues concerning the display of certificate information and withdrawal of trust are better addressed through European legislation. ESD therefore calls on Members of the European Parliament to support the Commission’s proposed Article 45 as an EU-wide solution — strengthening the recognition of QWACs, ensuring that citizens can identify who is behind a website, and preventing unilateral browser policies from determining trust within the European trust space.