2022-12-21

Technical Instruction for the Application of Electronic Signatures in the Reporting Process of the Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency – from 1 January 2023

The Administrative Board of the Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency (HANFA) issued this Technical Instruction to standardize the electronic signing of reporting files submitted via HANFA's portal. It defines key terms, mandates that signatories use a cryptographic device containing both authentication and qualified electronic signature certificates, and requires the separate storage of original documents when technically necessary for reporting. The Instruction enters into force on 1 January 2023, grants a 90-day compliance window closing on 1 April 2023, and automatically supersedes the previous March 2012 directive upon that deadline.

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1 The Administrative Board of the Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency, pursuant to Article 17(1)(10) of the Statute of the Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency (Official Gazette No. 53/12), at its meeting held on 21 December 2022, adopted the TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION for the application of electronic signatures in the reporting process of the Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency

  1. Introduction This Technical Instruction (hereinafter: the Instruction) specifies the method for electronically signing reporting files that supervisory entities submit to the Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency (hereinafter: HANFA) via HANFA's website (reports.hanfa.hr).

  2. Definitions Certain terms, within the meaning of this Instruction, have the following meanings: (1) Obligor means a supervisory entity required to submit reports to HANFA; (2) Signatory means a natural person authorized to sign the reports of HANFA's supervisory entity; (3) File means a file containing the data of the relevant report that the Obligor must submit to HANFA; (4) Qualified electronic signature means an electronic signature defined by Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market and repealing Directive 1999/93/EC (OJ L 257/73, 28.8.2014); (5) Authorized certificate issuer means a legal entity authorized to issue digital certificates.

  3. Files for Signature The list of files to be signed with a qualified electronic signature is prescribed by individual regulations, or by HANFA's instruction for the relevant type of report that the supervisory entity is required to submit to HANFA.

  4. Electronic Signing Procedure (1) The file signatory must possess their own cryptographic device, or the corresponding medium issued by an authorized certificate issuer, containing two digital certificates, namely: a) authentication certificate; and b) qualified electronic signature certificate.

(2) When signing a file with a qualified electronic signature, the Signatory is required to use the option of separately storing the original document from the file containing the electronic signature, where technically necessary for report submission.

(3) For detailed instructions on operating the electronic signing system, the Obligor must contact an authorized Digital Certificate Issuer.

  1. Final and Transitional Provisions This Instruction will be published on HANFA's website and enters into force on 1 January 2023. Obligors must comply with this Instruction within 90 days, no later than 1 April 2023. Until 1 April 2023, the Technical Instruction for the Application of Electronic Signatures in the Reporting Process of the Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency, CLASS: 011-02/12-04/01, REG. NO.: 326-01-12-1 of 29 March 2012, shall apply. Upon expiry of the period specified in paragraph 3 of this article, the Technical Instruction for the Application of Electronic Signatures in the Reporting Process of the Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency, CLASS: 011-02/12-04/01, REG. NO.: 326-01-12-1 of 29 March 2012, shall cease to be valid.

CHAIRMAN OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD Dr. Sci. Ante Žigman CLASS: 025-04/22-02/07 REG. NO.: 326-01-30-34-22-1 Zagreb, 21 December 2022.