In Estonia, the ID card has been part of our daily work and personal life for years. We use it to log into corporate information systems, confirm contracts, and sign documents. Thanks to this, Estonia is one of the most digital countries in the world. However, in the autumn of 2025, there will be a change that directly affects everyone who uses an ID card for work purposes.
The way businesses handle contracts has evolved. Even small teams now juggle numerous agreements, from startup service contracts to local vendor deals. Manual processes like emailing Word documents and struggling with version control are outdated. Modern e-signing and contract management platforms, such as Agrello, offer dedicated collaboration tools to ensure everyone works from the same, up-to-date information.
For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and contract administrators, managing contracts doesn’t end when an agreement expires. In fact, expired contracts remain valuable documents that should be properly stored and managed. Keeping old contracts in a digital repository or contract management system provides numerous benefits – from legal protection and compliance readiness to operational insights and strategic opportunities.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania operate in one of the world’s most digitally advanced regions. Embracing each country’s e-identification and electronic signing systems can greatly streamline cross-border business. This comprehensive guide provides an overview of national digital identity infrastructures, common e-signature formats, and how to leverage them across the Baltics. We also cover interoperability, legal frameworks, user adoption, practical steps, challenges, and future developments (including eIDAS 2.0) to help your SME navigate seamless cross-border digital operations.
The way we identify ourselves and sign documents online is about to change—radically and for the better. With the introduction of eIDAS 2.0, the European Union is setting a new standard for digital trust, security, and cross-border recognition.
Businesses and governments worldwide are embracing digital documentation to streamline operations and meet sustainability goals. Replacing paper-intensive processes with electronic signatures, document automation, and AI-driven document generation yields significant environmental benefits, from saving trees and cutting carbon emissions to reducing waste and water usage.
The European Union's digital landscape is undergoing a significant transformation with the evolution of the eIDAS regulation. Originally established as Regulation (EU) No 910/2014, the "electronic IDentification, Authentication and trust Services" framework was designed to facilitate secure cross-border digital interactions within the EU's internal market. This regulation has been the cornerstone of electronic signatures, seals, and timestamps across Europe, enabling citizens and businesses to engage in digital transactions with confidence.