Certified Email in Germany

Germany utilizes De-Mail and qualified electronic signatures (Qualifizierte Elektronische Signatur).

Difference: Germany places heavier emphasis on sender authentication (signatures) rather than the delivery infrastructure itself.

Usage: While De-Mail exists, many German entities still rely on combined electronic signatures or physical mail for strictly legal notices.

Compatibility: A German De-Mail address cannot directly communicate with an Italian PEC address.

Certified Email in France and Spain

France: Uses Lettre Recommandée Électronique (LRE). Like PEC, it is legally recognized and used for communications with Italy’s neighbors.

Spain: Offers Notificaciones Electrónicas for government interactions.

Comparison: Both systems are highly integrated with their respective public administrations, similar to Italy.

However, for an international user communicating specifically with Italy, these systems cannot replace a standard PEC mailbox.

Certified Email in the United States

The US approach is market-driven rather than government-mandated.

No National Standard: There is no direct government equivalent to PEC.

Private Solutions: Services like DocuSign or private encrypted email offer security but rely on contract law (ESIGN Act) rather than a statutory registered mail equivalent status.

Physical Mail: For strict legal notifications, the US still relies heavily on USPS Certified Mail.

Impact: A US secure email does not meet the legal requirements for official communications with Italy.

Nature and Scope of Legal Equivalence

The legal equivalence with registered mail means that PEC produces the same legal effects as a traditional registered letter with return receipt.

This applies to:

• Formal notifications: Legal summonses and contractual notices.
• Administrative deadlines: The timestamp of the PEC receipt is the legal proof of submission.
• Certainty: It eliminates disputes regarding the date and time of sending.

See also: PEC vs Other Systems

Evidentiary Value of PEC Receipts

Unlike standard email, PEC generates forensic evidence usable in court:

• Acceptance Receipt: Issued by your provider, certifying the message was sent.
• Delivery Receipt (RAC): Issued by the recipient’s provider, certifying the message was delivered.

These receipts are digitally signed and tamper-proof. If a dispute arises, the RAC proves the content and delivery time unequivocally.

Certified Email in Germany

Germany utilizes De-Mail and qualified electronic signatures (Qualifizierte Elektronische Signatur).

Difference: Germany places heavier emphasis on sender authentication (signatures) rather than the delivery infrastructure itself.

Usage: While De-Mail exists, many German entities still rely on combined electronic signatures or physical mail for strictly legal notices.

Compatibility: A German De-Mail address cannot directly communicate with an Italian PEC address.

Certified Email in France and Spain

France: Uses Lettre Recommandée Électronique (LRE). Like PEC, it is legally recognized and used for communications with Italy’s neighbors.

Spain: Offers Notificaciones Electrónicas for government interactions.

Comparison: Both systems are highly integrated with their respective public administrations, similar to Italy.

However, for an international user communicating specifically with Italy, these systems cannot replace a standard PEC mailbox.

Certified Email in the United States

The US approach is market-driven rather than government-mandated.

No National Standard: There is no direct government equivalent to PEC.

Private Solutions: Services like DocuSign or private encrypted email offer security but rely on contract law (ESIGN Act) rather than a statutory registered mail equivalent status.

Physical Mail: For strict legal notifications, the US still relies heavily on USPS Certified Mail.

Impact: A US secure email does not meet the legal requirements for official communications with Italy.

Types of Electronic Signatures Under Italian Law 

Italian electronic signature law distinguishes between three levels of security, aligning with the EU eIDAS regulation: 

1. Simple Electronic Signature: Basic authentication (e.g., a scanned signature). Low legal value. 

1. Advanced Electronic Signature (FEA): Ensures the document has not been altered and identifies the signer. 

1. Qualified Electronic Signature (FEQ): Created by a qualified device (token/smart card). It is legally equivalent to a handwritten signature in all contexts. 

Integration Between PEC and Electronic Signature 

PEC and signatures serve complementary purposes: 

• PEC certifies the transmission (proof of sending/receipt). 

• Electronic Signature certifies the content and will of the signer. 

For sensitive contracts or Italian tax procedures, sending a digitally signed document via PEC provides the “gold standard” of legal proof. 

On a business trip, you are highly likely to use hotel or airport lounge Wi-Fi to complete a presentation or access your corporate cloud. What could happen without a VPN? Imagine you are waiting for your flight and want to check your email. The moment you connect to the public network and access your mail server, a hacker intercepts your traffic, reads your email and steals your login credentials. You don’t know it, but you have just suffered what is called a man-in-the-middle attack. With a virtual private network, no hacker can see what you do online, even on open Wi-Fi networks.

Every time you connect to the Internet, your device uses an Internet Protocol (IP) address, which can reveal not only your online identity, but also the location from which you connect. Technically, an IP address is a numerical label assigned by the Internet service provider. Because it is used to identify individual devices among billions of others, it can be regarded as a postal address in the digital world.

When you enter the name of a website (example.com) in your browser’s address bar, your computer has to perform certain operations because it cannot actually read words, only numbers. First of all, the browser locates the IP address corresponding to the site you want (example.com = 192.168.1.1), then, once the location is found, it loads the site onto the screen. An IP address functions like a home address, ensuring that data sent over the Internet always reaches the correct destination.

This identifier is visible to all the subjects listed above.

Not only that, but the information you routinely exchange online – passwords, emails, documents and sensitive data – often travel in “plaintext” i.e. without being encrypted. This means that anyone who manages to intercept them on their way through the network can read or copy them. Think of sending a postcard: anyone intercepting it on the way can read its contents, your name, the recipient’s address and so on. The same happens with your online data. Not using adequate protection systems, like a VPN, is like leaving your front door open. Would you ever do that?

One of the most frequently asked questions concerns the legality of this tool: are VPNs legal? The answer depends on the country you are in. In general, the use of a VPN is legal in most countries, including the UK and Italy, but there are some exceptions. The key lies in the way the technology is used.

While using this type of connection to protect privacy and surf safely is perfectly legal, in some countries the use of a private network to circumvent certain government controls or to access prohibited content may be restricted.