Qualified electronic attestation of attributes (QEAA)

QEAA is the qualified electronic attestation of attributes under eIDAS: issued only by a QTSP, with the legal effect of a paper attestation.

A QEAA (qualified electronic attestation of attributes) is the qualified variant of an electronic attestation of attributes: a signed digital statement about a characteristic of a person or organisation - a diploma, professional qualification, membership or mandate - that meets the extra requirements eIDAS sets in Article 3(45) and Annex V. Only a QTSP may issue a QEAA, after verifying the underlying fact, typically against an authentic source. Because of that qualified status, Article 45b(2) gives a QEAA the same legal effect as a lawfully issued paper attestation. The cross-border recognition in Article 45b(3) is reserved for attestations issued by or on behalf of a public sector body responsible for an authentic source, so it covers a Pub-EAA rather than a QEAA.

A QEAA differs from PID, which covers only the core identity attributes needed to know who someone is, and from a Pub-EAA, which is issued by or on behalf of a public sector body responsible for the underlying register. In the EUDI Wallet, a QEAA is cryptographically bound to the holder's wallet key and can be shown to a relying party using selective disclosure, so only the relevant attribute needs to be revealed.