Article 37Electronic seals in public services

1. If a Member State requires an advanced electronic seal in order to use an online service offered by, or on behalf of, a public sector body, that Member State shall recognise advanced electronic seals, advanced electronic seals based on a qualified certificate for electronic seals and qualified electronic seals at least in the formats or using methods defined in the implementing acts referred to in paragraph 5.

2. If a Member State requires an advanced electronic seal based on a qualified certificate in order to use an online service offered by, or on behalf of, a public sector body, that Member State shall recognise advanced electronic seals based on a qualified certificate and qualified electronic seal at least in the formats or using methods defined in the implementing acts referred to in paragraph 5.

3. Member States shall not request for the cross-border use in an online service offered by a public sector body an electronic seal at a higher security level than the qualified electronic seal.

5. By 18 September 2015, and taking into account existing practices, standards and legal acts of the Union, the Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, define reference formats of advanced electronic seals or reference methods where alternative formats are used. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 48(2).