Obtaining and Applying the EPREL and Electronic Seal: A Step-by-Step Guide
In the world of energy-efficient product development, the European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL) plays a crucial role. Established in 2018, EPREL is a platform that requires manufacturers and distributors of electronic appliances to register their products since January 1, 2019, to obtain the energy label. As of March 1, 2022, these companies must not only register their products but also verify their identity on the EPREL portal.
This verification process is facilitated by a Qualified Electronic Seal (Qe-Seal), a digital signature issued to a company or organization, not tied to a specific individual. The Qe-Seal is similar to a Qualified Electronic Signature but is specifically designed for companies. It is issued by an eIDAS-accredited Certification Authority, such as Intesa.
The Qe-Seal serves multiple purposes. It verifies the actual existence of the manufacturing or distributing company, referred to as an "Organization" in EPREL. It also verifies the authorization of the "Supplier Admin" to register appliances in EPREL on behalf of the organization. Moreover, the Qe-Seal is used to certify the origin, authenticity, and integrity of documents, workflows, or corporate content submitted to EPREL.
To apply the Qe-Seal in the EPREL portal for verification under EU regulations, the company must:
- Request and obtain the Qualified Certificate for Electronic Seal (QSealC) from an eIDAS-certified Qualified Trust Service Provider. This involves an identity verification process generally done face-to-face or via equivalent electronic identification methods to ensure trust and legal validity.
- Integrate the Qe-Seal into the electronic documentation or data files submitted to EPREL. The seal digitally signs the data, certifying the company as the originator and ensuring the data has not been altered.
- Use the appropriate EPREL portal interface or submission tools supporting the inclusion of the Qualified Electronic Seal to ensure the data is accepted for compliance checks relating to EU energy labelling and ecodesign regulations.
- Maintain the security of the digital certificate and comply with ongoing regulatory and technical requirements to keep the seal valid throughout the lifecycle of the product declaration.
The method for applying the seal to a PDF document depends on the Certification Authority issuing the seal. To complete the verification procedure, the manufacturer or distributor must download the verification file, a PDF already sealed with the EU's eSeal, and apply the Organization's Qe-Seal to it.
EPREL has introduced a verification procedure within the portal for companies already registered. Additional Supplier Admins, Supplier Users, or Supplier Readers can be added to the organization's profile. The Qe-Seal strongly and legally attests to the source and content of any document or content it is applied to. It can be used on various types of content, such as software, images, etc.
It is worth noting that the Qe-Seal will verify that the organization has its registered office in the EU, EEA, or Northern Ireland. EU Login can be obtained through a simple registration process, which must be completed under an individual's name.
In summary, a company must get a qualified certificate for electronic sealing from a recognized Qualified Trust Service Provider, then use this certificate to electronically seal data submitted in the EPREL portal, allowing trusted verification of compliance under EU product regulations. This process follows the general eIDAS framework for Qualified Electronic Seals used for official and regulatory purposes across EU digital services.
- To abide by EU cybersecurity regulations in the technology sector, companies involved in electronic appliances must not only register their products on EPREL but also verify their identity using a Qualified Electronic Seal (Qe-Seal).
- This verification process, facilitated by a Qe-Seal issued by an eIDAS-accredited Certification Authority, ensures the identity of the company and the authenticity of the data submitted to EPREL for energy labelling and ecodesign compliance.
