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From 2024 Pec becomes European, addresses to be updated in two steps

Identification procedures already completed for 3.5 million Aruba users

by Annarita D'Ambrosio

12 February 2024

2' min read

Key points

From certified to registered
How to adapt your Pec
Non-adaptation
Data provided by Aruba

2' min read

The twentieth birthday is set for next year, but this 2024 marks for Pec, the certified electronic mail, already great news starting with a new name. After a long but indispensable journey, Pec will in fact become European following the Rem (Registered electronic mail) standard. Created in 2005, certified electronic mail has remained almost identical to the original until today, but since January 2022, the process of adapting to the European Regulation 910/2014 - eIDAS - has begun, which this year will be realised.

The new standard

In short, our Pec becomes interoperable throughout Europe and can also be used for communications with legal value between citizens of European countries. The European standard ETSI EN 319 532-4 expands its boundaries thanks to the introduction of the Csi (Common service interface), the shared technological interface that enables the secure exchange between operators and between users of qualified delivery services.

This infrastructure, by means of two functions, provides for the setting of technical requirements necessary to verify and certify the mail address: the identity of the EU citizen owning a certified mail address; the integrity of the content; and the date and time of sending and receiving the message.

How to adapt your Pec

The address will not change, but will be adapted to European regulations, while access modes and functionalities will remain unchanged. Security will be strengthened thanks to two simple operations, which can be carried out in a few minutes:
- identity recognition (through Spid, digital signature, Cie, Cns or video recognition with an operator)
- activation of two-step verification (2FA): in addition to the traditional username and password for access, a further authorisation will be requested on the associated device, such as sms, email, app or token.

Non-adaptation

Not adapting one's Pec to the mandatory European standards will result in the impossibility of using it for communications with legal value in Italy and abroad. In practice, the Pec remains active but messages sent and received are no longer certified.

Data provided by Aruba

During Telefisco 2024, hosted in the Aruba Data centre of Ponte San Pietro (Bg), European Pec was discussed and interesting data were provided. Since the advent of Inad, the National Index of digital domiciles, Aruba recorded an increase in the activation of Pec of 14% between June and July 2023 and the Aruba Observatory reported that, at present, more than 3.5 million of its customers have already completed the European identification procedures.

Stefano Sordi, general manager of Aruba, explained during Telefisco that 'the extension of the Pec to the pan-European context reinforces the level of security and makes the tool become essential for the activities of professionals, companies and individuals, especially for facilitating relations with the Public Administration'. Sordi recalled that for the benefit of accountants, for example, Aruba presented 'Costituende.it, a digital service designed entirely for those who want to set up a new company'.