Introduction
Public authorities´ electronic communication with other entities, establishment and activation of the electronic mailboxes, access to the electronic mailboxes and the exercise of public authority are set forth by the Act No. 305/2015 Coll. on Electronic Form of Governance Conducted by Public Authorities as amended (hereinafter referred to as „Act on e-Government“).
The electronic mailboxes for the legal entities registered in the Business register are established automatically by the state. The activation of the electronic mailboxes for the legal entities is on a voluntary basis until the date of June 30. 2017. As of July 1, 2017 all electronic mailboxes of all legal entities registered in the Business register will be activated automatically by the state.
After the activation of the electronic mailboxes, regardless of whether the activation has been voluntary or automatic, public authorities (including courts, local/municipal authority, state government, local government) will communicate with legal entities registered in the Business register only by electronic communication and the electronic mailbox. All official documents will be also delivered only to the electronic mailbox.
Therefore, it is necessary that every natural person who is a statutory representative of a legal entity registered in the Business register has the possibility to access the electronic mailbox and carry out its control on a regular basis.
The means of access to the electronic mailbox
The access to the electronic mailbox of the legal entity is possible only by a natural person who is statutory representative (CEO, member of the board of directors, etc.) and according to the article 21 para. 1 of the Act on e-Government by one of the following authenticators:
- ID with electronic chip and personal security code;
- residence card with electronic chip and personal security code or
- alternative authenticator.
For the access to the electronic mailbox of the legal entity of which the statutory representative is a foreign natural person (person who does not have Slovak Republics´ ID) only the residence card or alternative authenticator is used.
Residence card
A natural person who is a statutory representative of a legal entity may apply under the conditions provided in the article 22 and following of the Act No.: 404/2011 Coll. on residence of the foreigners as amended (hereinafter referred to as „Act on residence of the foreigners“) for granting of temporary residence permit. The Police will issue the temporary residence permit and residence card after the compliance with the conditions laid down in the Act on residence of foreigners. Subsequently it is possible to access the electronic mailbox by the residence card.
Alternative authenticator
Having regard to the process of granting the temporary residence which is complicated and not every foreign natural person is interested in the temporary residence in the Slovak republic, there is another legal possibility to access the electronic mailbox, i.e. by the alternative authenticator.
The process of granting/issuance of the alternative authenticator is regulated by the Decree of the Ministry of justice No. 29/2017 Coll. on details of the alternative authenticator (hereinafter referred to as „Decree on the details of the alternative authenticator“).
The alternative authenticator is issued only upon application of a foreign natural person. The application shall be submitted personally at any Alien police department seated in:
- Bratislava
- Dunajská Streda
- Trnava
- Nitra
- Nové Zámky
- Trenčín
- Banská Bystrica
- Rimavská Sobota
- Žilina
- Košice
- Michalovce a
- Prešov.
The application for issuance of the alternative authenticator shall contain at least the following:
- name and surname;
- date of the birth;
- state nationality;
- state and address of residence;
- personal security code;
- business name, registered seat and ID number of the legal entity of which the foreign natural person is a statutory representative;
- address for delivery of the alternative authenticator;
- certified signature of the applicant.
The application shall be submitted personally and signed by the certified signature. It is appropriate to attach the current extract from the Business register applicable for legal acts. This extract may be obtained at any notarial office or at any branch of the company Slovenská pošta, a.s.
The application and the issuance of the alternative authenticator is not charged by any state fee. The alternative authenticator is subsequently, i.e. after its issuance sent to the address of the legal entity or to other address stated in the application.
Access to the electronic mailbox
Electronic mailbox is available through „Ústredný portál verejnej správy“ (Central portal of the public administration), available at: http://www.slovensko.sk. Internet address http:/www.slovensko.sk is also available in English.
For the access to the electronic mailbox the foreign natural person uses the alternative authenticator together with personal security code, smartcard reader and required software. The software is available for download at: http://www.slovensko.sk/na-stiahnutie.
After successful software installation the foreign natural person may access the electronic mailbox of the legal entity of which he/she is the statutory representative at: http://www.slovensko.sk.
Authorization to access the electronic mailbox
Alternative way for the foreign natural person to access the electronic mailbox of the legal entity is to authorize a third person, i.e. another natural person who is a Slovak republic national with Slovak ID to access the electronic mailbox of the legal entity.
It is possible to apply for the above mentioned authorization in writing by filling a relevant form. The form has to be signed by certified signature. The form shall be sent to the following address:
Úrad vlády SR, P. O. BOX 11
Námestie slobody 1
810 55 Bratislava 15
Úrad vlády SR shall secure the access of the authorized third person to the electronic mailbox of the legal entity no later than within 10 working days after receiving the form.
Only a natural person who is a Slovak republic national with Slovak ID may be authorized to access the electronic mailbox.
Delivery of documents to the electronic mailbox
The public authorities deliver all documents – electronic official documents by the following ways:
- common delivery
- delivery with the proof of receipt with legal fiction of delivery
- delivery with the proof of receipt without legal fiction of delivery.
In accordance with the article 32 para. 5 letter a) of the Act on e-Government the legal document delivered by the electronic communication to the electronic mailbox is deemed to be delivered:
- in the abovementioned case under a) by the date following the date of delivery;
- in the abovementioned case under b) by the date of the confirmation of the acknowledgement of receipt or by expiry of 15 days period from the date of delivery of the acknowledgement of receipt;
- in the abovementioned case under c) the legal fiction of delivery is not applicable (after the expiry of 15 days period from the delivery of the acknowledgement of receipt the legal documents shall be deemed as undelivered without legal consequences).
Conclusion
Delivery of legal documents by the public authorities to the legal entities registered in the Business register will be conducted only by the electronic communication and only to the electronic mailbox.
Having regard to the severity of the consequences of the delivered legal documents it is more than necessary to ensure for every legal entity registered in the Business register the access to the electronic mailbox.
The foreign legal person who is a statutory representative of a legal entity registered in the Business register may access the electronic mailbox of that legal entity only by the residence card with electronic chip or by alternative authenticator.
Alternative way to access the electronic mailbox of the legal entity is to authorize other natural person with Slovak Republic nationality and Slovak ID to access the electronic mailbox.
In conclusion we stated 3 legal ways of the delivery of the electronic legal documents. The proper understanding of the electronic delivery to the electronic mailbox is very important for the optimal setting of the electronic mailbox´ management and delivery documents´ management.
In the frame of the electronisation of the public administration our law firm manage to ensure preparation and obtaining of any authenticator and preparation of the documents for a third persons´ authorisation to access to the electronic mailbox, where appropriate.
Contact us for more information
JUDr. Tomáš Pavlovič,
a t t o r n e y | p a r t n e r
Tel: +421 908 116 232
E-mail: tomas.pavlovic@ppak.sk
