In short
- Portal
- proiecte.pnrr.gov.ro
- Signature type
- Qualified (QES)
- How it works
- Class A: you sign PDFs and upload them. Sign in the browser at app.simplifi.ro, no token. Works on the free plan.
- Simplifi plan required
- Free (includes Simplifi Sign for local signing) · details
Who needs it
The beneficiary's legal representative or authorised person registered on the platform account. The certificate on the account must belong to the same person who signs the documents.
What exactly is signed
The funding application and annexes, declarations, the funding contract/order, then transfer/payment requests and reports. Some calls use fillable PDF forms with a signature field (smart PDF).
Legal basis
- GEO 124/2021 on PNRR implementation
- MIPE instructions for the proiecte.pnrr.gov.ro platform
- The specific guide of each investment
Steps with Simplifi
- 01
Get the qualified certificate (free)
Create an account at app.simplifi.ro, complete video identification and enable 2FA. The qualified certificate is issued on the spot, no token, no subscription. If you sign for a company, the certificate is yours as a natural person (legal representative or proxy); that is what the portals require.
- 02
Register the certificate on your PNRR account
The platform asks you to associate the qualified certificate with the account. Follow the MIPE instructions; if the step requires certificate authentication from the browser, install Simplifi Sign (Windows or macOS), which exposes your Simplifi certificate as a virtual token (certificate authentication is available on paid plans).
- 03
Sign in the browser
In app.simplifi.ro, upload the PDF (or several at once), choose the signature position and confirm with your 2FA code. The signature is qualified (QES, PAdES format) and includes a timestamp.
- 04
Smart PDF forms: sign them locally
If a form has fillable fields and a signature field drawn in it, do not upload it to a web signing service. Open it in Adobe Reader, fill it in and sign in the field with the Simplifi certificate exposed by Simplifi Sign. See the smart PDF guide.
- 05
Download and upload to the portal
Download the signed PDF and upload it at the required step. Do not edit, print or rescan it: the signature validates on the file exactly as downloaded.
The Simplifi Sign guide (Windows and macOS), with step-by-step videos
Common errors
- "Signature not valid" or "unsigned document" after upload
- You uploaded a modified version (re-saved, printed and scanned, or compressed). Start again from the signed PDF downloaded from Simplifi, with no further processing.
- The portal wants the legal representative's signature but the certificate is in another name
- A qualified certificate is personal. The person the portal requires (legal representative or proxy with a power of attorney) opens their own Simplifi account and signs.
- The platform says the document is not signed with the account certificate
- Sign with the same Simplifi account (same person) whose certificate you registered. If you re-issued the certificate in between, update it on the PNRR account.
- The PDF form lost its fields after signing
- It was flattened by a web signing flow. Start again from the original form and sign it locally in Adobe Reader through Simplifi Sign.
Frequently asked questions
- Does a cloud certificate work on the PNRR platform?
- Yes. The platform validates the qualified signature on the PDF and, where it requires the certificate from the browser, Simplifi Sign exposes it to the operating system like a token. Verified by Simplifi.
- What is a smart PDF and why does it matter?
- A PDF form with fillable fields and a predefined signature field. Upload-based web signing services (any vendor's) produce a new, flat PDF and the fields vanish. Sign it locally in Adobe Reader with Simplifi Sign.
- Do I need Windows?
- Not for browser signing. For smart PDFs or certificate authentication you need Simplifi Sign, available for Windows 10/11 and macOS (beta); certificate authentication requires a paid plan.