Electronic signature, which is used in Azerbaijan for more than 4 years for the exchange of documents, reduces distances by saving time and manpower. Being an element of confirming an electronic document, electronic signature identifies the identity of the process participants in the virtual space, provides secure and flexible implementation of electronic document exchange.  

The advantages of the electronic signature include saving of time and manpower, privacy, usability, integrity, inability to avoid responsibility, transition of business relationships and contacts to the electronic format fully. Documents signed using an electronic signature can be delivered to its right place within a few seconds. Therefore, the use of electronic signatures is increasing day by day.

Thus, during last year 18470 electronic signature certificates were issued for state bodies, to individuals - 1400, legal entities - 3170. A total of 23040 electronic signatures have been issued so far, which is 6254 certificates more as compared to 2015 and makes up 23% of the total number of electronic signature certificates issued up to now.

According to statistics from the date of commissioning of  e-signature certificates to 1 January 2017, the number of electronic signatures issued to  state bodies by National Certification Services Center  of the Data Processing Center amounted to 65982, to individuals - 17210, legal entities - 17024. A total of 100216 electronic certificates have been issued so far by the National Certification Services Centre. 

In 2016 state bodies carried out 7460300 electronic signature authentication operations, as well as legal and physical persons – 1339822. A total number of operations made up 8800122, which is 49% of 17852793 authentication and electronic signature operations conducted since 2011.

The e-signature is also one of the means of authentication on the portal Electronic Government. A total of 4527251 authentications with the use of electronic signature cards were registered on the portal in 2016.

Remind that last year the National Certification Services Center started to provide a new type of e-signature certificate carriers - USB-tokens.  These carriers, which are user-friendly and more convenient to carry, allow population to save their money and safely keep electronic signature keys. Thus, there is no need to buy a card reader for use of these tokens.

Note that new e-signature carriers USB tokens can be obtained at the registration centers of the National Certification Services Center or on the portal of Electronic Signature (www.e-imza.az), and  they can also be ordered online on the portal Electronic Government. 

It will be recalled that e-signature cards have been widely used in the field of public administration since  2012.