france signature
Electronic signature in France
<p>In France, the <a href="https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do;jsessionid=5B0206551AF6FEF74B4972BECAD58213.tpdila13v_1?idArticle=LEGIARTI000006437828&amp;cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006070721&amp;dateTexte=20060406" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Article 1316-3</a> (<a href="http://archive.is/KhozE" rel="nofollow noreferrer">mirror</a>) created by Law n°2000-230 on March 13, 2000 - art. 3 JORF March 14 2000 says that:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"L'écrit sur support électronique a la même force probante que l'écrit sur support papier."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>which can be translated as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"Writing on electronic media has the same evidential value as written on paper."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Does this mean that if some legal entity ( e.g., a bank ) asks me to fill up, sign, and return by snail mail a form they sent to me by email, I can instead email  them the completed and signed form, and the legal entity is legally forced to accept it (i.e., they cannot ask me for snail mail)?</p>

<p>"Same evidential value" doesn't mean that the person making an offer can't place stricter conditions on how you can indicate acceptance of an offer.</p>

<p>That is, sure, they <em>could</em> take your electronic signature and use it as  strong evidence in court. But they <em>want</em> a physical, pen-on-paper signature.</p>
