How to Digitally Sign an EKO-KOM Contract on Windows or Mac
An EKO-KOM contract can be signed on your computer without printing it. The important step is using a digital ID to sign the PDF, then keeping the file available for the other parties to add their signatures.
For foreign companies arranging packaging EPR in the Czech Republic, this is a practical part of completing registration. A familiar-looking signature on a page does not always mean the file contains a digital signature. Choosing the right tool at the start helps avoid a second round of paperwork.
This guide explains EKO-KOM's electronic contract procedure and how Kodo clients can return their files. It is not a general rule for every contract or electronic-signature service.
Start with the right PDF
Use the latest version supplied for signature by Kodo or EKO-KOM. Check the legal company name and other identification details, and read the agreement together with its referenced terms. Tell Kodo about errors before signing so that the correct document can be arranged.
If Kodo has already signed the PDF, add your signature to that file. Returning to the unsigned original would leave Kodo's signature out of your version. Keep the existing signatures and document content intact.
Each company should arrange signatures by the people required under its representation rules. Where a person signs under a power of attorney, EKO-KOM's instructions also ask for that document as a separate PDF.
A signature image and a digital signature do different jobs
A signature drawn with a tablet pen or pasted into a PDF is a visible mark. A certificate-based digital signature adds information that a PDF reader can check against the document. It may display only the signer's name and signing date; a handwritten image is not essential.
EKO-KOM's supplied instructions state that a scanned, hand-signed printout is not accepted through its electronic signing procedure. For that route, use the digital ID function described below. If you prefer paper, ask Kodo to coordinate the paper-original procedure before printing. EKO-KOM's official guide contains both Czech and English instructions.
Use a desktop PDF reader
Adobe Acrobat Reader is the main option in this guide, because it is the program used in EKO-KOM's instructions. The desktop Reader is available free for Windows and Mac; this procedure does not require Acrobat Pro.
On Windows, save the attachment and open it with Acrobat Reader. On a Mac, use Finder's Open With menu to select Reader if the PDF normally opens in Preview. Work in the installed desktop application rather than the browser's PDF preview.
The next steps use English interface names. Your installed language or software version may label them differently.
Sign in Acrobat Reader, step by step
- Open the latest contract PDF. Review it before starting the signing process.
- Find the certificate tool: All tools → Use a certificate → Digitally sign. In older layouts, look under Tools → Certificates.
- Choose your signing area. Draw a small rectangle above your company's signature line. Leave the company name and other parties' signing areas unobstructed.
- Select your digital ID. Use your existing ID or create one as explained below.
- Review the signer details. Check your name and the visible signature, then enter the ID password when requested.
- Keep the document unlocked. Leave “Lock document after signing” unchecked so the remaining parties can sign.
- Save a new copy. Choose an identifiable filename, such as
contract-number-company-signed.pdf, and note the folder. - Open the saved result. Check the signature entry in the reader's signature panel and send that PDF file back to Kodo.
Adobe's digital-signature instructions describe the controls. Its general tutorial also explains optional document locking; do not enable that option for this EKO-KOM workflow.
What if you do not have a digital ID?
EKO-KOM's guide includes creating a self-signed digital ID in Reader. That means a paid qualified certificate is not automatically required for the procedure it describes.
At the ID selection stage, configure a new digital ID, choose to create one and save it to a file. Enter your own full name and the company and email details requested by the form. Protect the ID with a password, then select it to sign the contract.
A self-signed ID is not a qualified electronic signature. Its acceptance for this workflow should not be extended to unrelated authorities, documents or services. If your company already has a signing certificate, use your established process while preserving existing PDF signatures and allowing subsequent signatures.
Keep your private ID file and password secure. Kodo needs the signed PDF, not your private .p12 or .pfx file and not your password.
If you already use Foxit
Foxit PDF Reader also supports certificate-based PDF signatures. You can use its digital-signature function rather than changing programs solely to follow an Adobe menu path. The Mac documentation describes Protect → Sign & Certify → Place Signature. Select your digital ID and leave document locking off.
Do not confuse that function with Quick PDF Sign or simply drawing a signature. The main walkthrough above follows EKO-KOM's documented Reader procedure; the alternative is a software capability, not a claim that EKO-KOM has tested every Foxit release.
More than one person signing? Use one continuing file
A three-party agreement may need signatures from your company, Kodo and EKO-KOM. Some companies also require more than one person to sign on their behalf.
Pass the latest PDF to each required signatory in turn. Each person adds a signature using their own digital ID, preserving earlier signatures. Separate people signing separate copies of the unsigned original does not produce a single file containing everyone's signatures.
After signing, do not convert the PDF to Word, flatten it or use Print to PDF. Those operations can remove the signature structure or invalidate signatures. If you need to correct a mistake, ask Kodo which version to use for a fresh attempt.
Return the PDF and let Kodo coordinate the next step
For a case managed by Kodo, reply in the existing Kodo email thread and attach the signed PDF unless you have received different instructions for your case. We can check the file, coordinate outstanding signatures and arrange onward delivery to EKO-KOM. Keep the final copy returned after all required signatures.
For companies submitting directly, EKO-KOM's English guide describes replying to its original email, or using the Czech data box where the company has one. The receiving data box is kbbdu2k. Follow the instructions for your specific contract and avoid parallel submissions of different versions.
The Kodo client area provides a shared place for the documents and communication associated with our work. Uploading a file is a document handover; it is not itself confirmation that EKO-KOM has concluded the contract.
You can also find a detailed signing guide in the portal FAQ. Sign in through the Kodo client area, open Help & Guides and choose the EKO-KOM digital-signature guide. It covers Windows and Mac, creating a digital ID, adding further signatures and common problems. The guide is available in English, Polish and German.
Kodo acts as an authorised representative for foreign producers' Czech packaging EPR within the agreed mandate. We coordinate supporting information, registration, quarterly reports and correspondence, while the client provides accurate data and the required signatures. You can read about our Czech packaging EPR service or contact us if you need help with a signing step.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to pay for Adobe Acrobat Pro?
No. EKO-KOM's instructions use the free desktop Acrobat Reader for Windows and Mac. Use the certificate-based signing function rather than a paid PDF editing or signature-request service.
Do I have to buy a qualified certificate?
EKO-KOM's supplied procedure includes creating a self-signed digital ID in Reader, so a purchased qualified certificate is not automatically necessary for that procedure. A self-signed ID is not a qualified electronic signature and does not establish acceptance for other recipients.
Can I sign by drawing with a tablet pen?
A drawing alone does not create the certificate-based PDF signature described here. Use a digital ID. A handwritten image can be part of a digital signature's appearance, but the image itself is not the certificate signature.
Why does my PDF reader show an unknown signer?
The reader may not know the issuer of a self-signed certificate. That is different from a failed integrity check or a warning that the signed document has been altered. Send Kodo the PDF and the precise warning for review; do not disable checks or blindly trust an unknown certificate.
Should I lock the PDF after signing?
No. EKO-KOM specifically asks for it to remain unlocked so further signatures can be added. Preserve the existing signed content and add only the required signatures using an appropriate PDF signing tool.
I clicked Sign but cannot find a signed file. What should I do?
Check the folder selected in the save dialog. If the program reported an error, signing may not have completed. Reopen the saved file and check its signature panel before sending it. Contact Kodo if you need help; never send your digital ID password.
Sources and scope
Prepared on 22 October 2026 using EKO-KOM's signing guide supplied to Kodo and the official software documentation. The EKO-KOM guide is available in Czech and English; its direct-return instructions differ according to the use of a Czech data box. This article gives Kodo clients a coordinated return route and does not change EKO-KOM's contract terms.