Electronic Signatures and Infrastructures (ESI); ASiC Baseline Profile

Note

ETSI technical specification defining a baseline profile for ASiC containers, with three conformance levels, based on AdES signatures (version 2.2.1).

Summary

Purpose

Technical specification ETSI TS 103 174 (version 2.2.1, June 2013) is a baseline profile of Associated Signature Containers (ASiC), defined by ETSI TS 102 918 ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1, Introduction ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1, History. An ASiC container brings together in a single ZIP file signed objects and their detached CAdES or XAdES signatures, or RFC 3161 time-stamp tokens ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1, Introduction. Its scope begins as follows:

It takes particular account of the needs of the Services Directive 2006/123/EC ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1, § 1 Scope.

Who it applies to

• To Member States, which recognise advanced electronic signatures and seals using a container conforming to this profile where they were created before 23 February 2028 Art. 1(2) Art. 3(2).
• To the signature validation applications targeted by the intermediate standard described below, in the form of a recommendation ETSI TS 119 172-4 V1.1.1, § 4.3 Requirements on signature validation and applicability rules checking practices.

Key points

• Three conformance levels: B, T and LT, which take over those of the former CAdES and XAdES profiles (ETSI TS 103 173 and TS 103 171) for the signatures contained in the container ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1, § 4 Conformance Levels ETSI TS 103 173 V2.2.1 ETSI TS 103 171 V2.1.1.
• No LTA level: the specification explains that a container allowing validation long after signing would require a revision of TS 102 918 ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1, § 1 Scope ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1, § 4 Conformance Levels.
• Two forms of container: ASiC-S, whose signed object is the only element of the root folder, and ASiC-E, which contains at least one signed object ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1, § 7.2 ASiC-S Signed data object ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1, § 8.2 ASiC-E Signed data object. Each has requirements for CAdES and XAdES signatures and time-stamp tokens ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1, § 7 Requirements for ASiC-S ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1, § 8 Requirements for ASiC-E.

What the acts apply, and how

• Implementing Regulation 2026/248: Member States recognise advanced electronic signatures and seals that use a container complying with the specifications of Annex II, where they were created before 23 February 2028 Art. 1(2) Art. 3(2). For containers, Annex II names TS 103 174 v.2.2.1, with no clause exception or level limit, unlike the three other former profiles Annex II. Article 6 defers only paragraph 1 of these two articles, applicable from 23 February 2027 Art. 6. Annex I, to which these paragraphs 1 refer, names ETSI EN 319 162-1 and EN 319 162-2 version 1.1.1, the latter for the ASiC-E CAdES container only Annex I ETSI EN 319 162-1 V1.1.1 ETSI EN 319 162-2 V1.1.1. The regulation repeals Implementing Decision 2015/1506 Art. 5.
• Through ETSI TS 119 172-4 version 1.1.1: Implementing Regulations 2025/1942 (qualified validation), 2025/1945 (validation of signatures and seals) and 2025/1946 (qualified preservation) make this specification applicable with adaptations Annex List of reference standards and specifications for the validation of qualified electronic signatures and of qualified electronic seals List of reference standards and specifications for the validation of advanced electronic signatures based on qualified certificates and of advanced electronic seals based on qualified certificates List of reference standards and specifications referred to in Article 2. Its requirement REQ-4.3-01 recommends (should) that the validation application support formats conforming to TS 103 174, cited without a version, as it does the other baseline profiles ETSI TS 119 172-4 V1.1.1, § 4.3 Requirements on signature validation and applicability rules checking practices ETSI TS 119 172-4 V1.1.1, § 2.1 Normative references. None of these three regulations modifies this requirement; they adapt other requirements of the same clause or other clauses. It therefore remains a recommendation in the standard made applicable. Regulation 910/2014 attaches presumptions to these standards: the validation of qualified electronic signatures, that of advanced electronic signatures based on a qualified certificate, the qualified validation service and the qualified preservation service are presumed to meet the requirements laid down in paragraph 1 of the article concerned (in its first subparagraph for the validation of qualified signatures) where they comply with these standards, specifications and procedures; these rules also apply to seals Art. 32(1) Art. 32a(3) Art. 33(2) Art. 34(1a) Art. 40 Art. 40a Art. 1 Art. 1 Art. 1.

Important clauses

• ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1, § 1 Scope: scope.
• ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1, § 4 Conformance Levels: conformance levels.
• ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1, § 7 Requirements for ASiC-S: ASiC-S container.
• ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1, § 8 Requirements for ASiC-E: ASiC-E container.

Links

• Current standards for ASiC containers: ETSI EN 319 162-1 ETSI EN 319 162-1 V1.1.1 and EN 319 162-2 ETSI EN 319 162-2 V1.1.1.
• Former signature profiles: XAdES ETSI TS 103 171 V2.1.1, PAdES ETSI TS 103 172 V2.2.2, CAdES ETSI TS 103 173 V2.2.1.
• Time-stamping: RFC 3161 RFC 3161.
• Learning path: step 4, trust services.

ETSI standard: the site reproduces only short extracts; the full text is available from ETSI ETSI TS 103 174 V2.2.1. Written by Asphalia.