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Inquiry About Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) for International Film Production Contracts

  • July 15, 2025
  • 5 replies
  • 89 views
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Newcomer
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Hello,

I am currently evaluating electronic signature solutions for use in film production contracts. My primary requirement is that the electronic signatures created through DocuSign platform must comply with the following criteria:

  1. Legal compliance in Hungary — the signatures must meet Hungarian electronic signature regulations and be recognized as legally valid for business contracts.

  2. Full compliance with EU eIDAS regulations — ideally, the signatures should be qualified electronic signatures (QES), which have the highest legal assurance under EU law and are equivalent to handwritten signatures.

  3. Recognition outside the EU — if possible, the signatures should also be recognized or enforceable under non-EU jurisdictions, or at least provide a high level of legal certainty internationally.

  4. Suitability for film production contracts — since these contracts may include clauses requiring formal written signatures (e.g., penalty clauses, business terms), the solution must fulfill these legal and contractual requirements.

Could you please clarify:

  • Whether DocuSign offers qualified electronic signatures (QES) in Hungary and for EU users within your product offerings?

  • If QES is available, is it included in the standard packages or only in specific plans?

  • How does DocuSign ensure the recognition or enforceability of signatures outside the EU?

  • Are there recommended best practices or additional certifications required for contracts in the film production industry?

Thank you very much for your assistance. I look forward to your detailed response so that I can make an informed decision regarding the appropriate signature solution.

Best regards,
Nikki Lions

5 replies

Hengfeng Ge
Hero
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​@Nikki Lions 

Thanks for your detailed questions. Here’s how DocuSign can meet your requirements for film production contracts:

  1. Support for AES (Advanced) and QES (Qualified) Signatures
    DocuSign offers both Advanced Electronic Signatures (AES) and Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) in accordance with EU eIDAS standards. These are available to any end user—EU citizen or not—as long as the recipient’s identity is verified via integrated Trust Service Providers (TSPs).

  2. Plan & Pricing for QES
    QES is not included in standard eSignature plans. It’s provided as an optional add-on (“Qualified Signature” feature) and must be purchased separately. Please contact your DocuSign sales or partner representative for a quote based on your expected QES volume.

  3. Recognition Outside the EU

    • eIDAS Reciprocity: All QES issued under eIDAS are generally recognized across EU member states.

    • International Enforceability: Many non-EU jurisdictions accept eIDAS-compliant signatures under their local laws or via reciprocity agreements.

    • Local TSP Integrations: In markets with stronger digital-signature mandates (e.g., certain government or regulated sectors), we recommend using a locally accredited TSP integrated with DocuSign to ensure compliance.

  4. Best Practices for Film Production Contracts

    • Assess Mandatory QES Requirements: In most countries, only regulated industries (finance, healthcare, government) or very high-value contracts legally require QES—film production rarely falls into that category unless dictated by specific local laws.

    • Risk & Value Thresholds: If the contract value is high or includes penalty clauses, your legal team may still prefer QES to maximize evidentiary weight.

    • Local Legal Review: Always have your in-house or external counsel confirm whether QES is truly required in your filming jurisdictions—and whether AES (which is included in most standard plans) would suffice.

Please let me know if you’d like more details on plans, pricing, or best-practice guides. Happy to help you select the right level of signature compliance for your production contracts!

 

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Welcome to the DocuSign Community! Your feedback is highly valued. If you find my response helpful, please give it a "Like" and consider marking it as the "Best Answer" to assist others with similar issues.
Jerry.Withers
Docusign Employee
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  • Jerry.WithersDocusign Employee
  • Docusign Employee
  • July 16, 2025

​@Hengfeng Ge Thanks for the great response. ​@Nikki Lions This page might also be useful to you. 

Regards,
Jerry

Jerry Withers, Senior Partner Specialist, Docusign
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  • Nikki LionsNewcomer
  • Author
  • Newcomer
  • July 21, 2025

Thank you very much for the detailed and helpful answers – this gives me a much clearer picture moving forward and makes it much easier to follow up internally. 

Jerry.Withers
Docusign Employee
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  • Jerry.WithersDocusign Employee
  • Docusign Employee
  • July 21, 2025

You’re welcome, ​@Nikki Lions , Please let us know if you need any more information to address any internal concerns that are raised.

Regards,
Jerry

Jerry Withers, Senior Partner Specialist, Docusign
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Community Moderator
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Hello ​@Nikki Lions,

We're glad you find ​@Hengfeng Ge suggested solution helpful 😊 Favor, may you please mark it as "Best Answer ✅"? This helps other community members with similar questions find the solution more easily. 

Let us know if you need further assistance, we're here for you!

 

Regards,

Melanie | Docusign Community Moderator

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