A couple of reminders about electronic signature requirements in the UK and Germany:

I.  HSP clients should be advised that every UK company, regardless of size, needs to list its company registration number, place of registration and registered office address on its website and in its emails. This information is already required on business letters, but regulations also extend it to websites, order forms and electronic documents, including email. Directors of companies that breach the new Companies Act risk a fine of up to £1,000, so please amend your email templates accordingly.

Do note that these regulations extend to UK limited companies, so clients sending out emails in the name of their UK limited company should routinely include the following in email signatures:

- Company name and geographic address, including both the trading and registered names if these are different. Both the trading address and the registered office address must be given.
- Company registration number and place of registration (e.g. company registered in England and Wales)
- If a business is a member of a trade or professional association, membership details (including any registered number) should be shown.
- If the business has a VAT number it should be stated (prefixed with GB if it trades outside the UK)

Sample:

[XYZ Ltd trading as .......]
[Trading Address]

[XYZ Ltd]is a limited company registered in [eg England & Wales].
Registration No: [1234567]. Registered office: [full registered address]


II. In Germany, the following information must be contained in all types of business correspondence, including email, and should be included in email signatures :

- Local court at the company’s registered office
- HRB no. (entry in the commercial register)
- Names of all managing directors / directors (of the board of directors) indicating at least one first name in full

Failure to include this data might be regarded as anticompetitive conduct, so please amend your email templates in order to avoid a cease and desist letter.