ACTIVITIES :: eGovernment :: Policy :: Key Enablers :: eIDm

A question of identity

For eGovernment and eBusiness to function to their full potential, people need a secure, convenient and effective way of identifying themselves – replacing signatures and stamps used on paper – when using electronic communication. To make this a reality, EU Member States are investing tens of billions of euros in interoperable Electronic Identity Management (eIDM).

Electronic Identity Management is a cornerstone of the implementation of the full range of eGovernment services, for both citizens and businesses, across the Union. As more government, personal and commercial transactions are conducted electronically – especially where documents exist only in digital form – parties need to be sure of a person's or an organisation's identity.

Registered letters are still required in many official exchanges between people and organisations. With alternatives such as e-mail, there is no way to verify when an attached document, such as a patent application, was really written. A digital ‘timestamp’, guaranteed by a trusted organisation, much the same as the post office provides with registered letters, is essential to speeding up on-line business.

Reliability boosts confidence

A reliable system of eIDM means citizens, businesses and government departments (even in different Member States) can identify themselves and certify their transactions accurately, quickly and simply. Widespread confidence in eIDM will enable the day-to-day transactions between public agencies and people and businesses to move on-line. That move will lead to gains in efficiency in public services, and corresponding gains in time and money for citizens and businesses through simplifying their dealings with government agencies.

Making sure that systems are interoperable is also a critical part of reliable eIDM. EU-supported ICT projects aim to help regions and Member States develop eGovernment services which, while meeting local needs, are capable of working with systems from other regions and countries in Europe – something that Member States working in isolation would struggle to achieve otherwise.

Signposting the road to eIDM

Efforts focus around eIDM systems and technologies, such as electronic signatures, smart ID cards, certified electronic documents (for public procurement contracts, prescriptions, educational certificates, etc.) and timestamping techniques.

In November 2005, the Commission issued Signposts towards eGovernment 2010, including a provisional eIDM plan establishing a preliminary time line for action. The 2006 eGovernment action plan then identified several key milestones to be achieved by 2010. These included the agreement of an eIDM road map, common interoperability specifications and monitoring of large-scale eIDM projects.

The eIDM road map outlined in more detail a list of milestones up to 2010 which will help put in place the ‘building blocks’ to cover a number of requirements, including ensuring user trust and awareness and taking privacy requirements fully into account. In addition, it includes requirements related to infrastructure and the usability of eIDM for both public and private sectors.

The Commission is launching a pilot project on eIDM with funding from the ICT Policy Support Programme. This will bring together public authorities already working with eIDM systems to demonstrate methods for pan-European recognition of electronic ID. This test will be carried out with real sets of services, with the aim of identifying and solving problems related to both technical and organisational issues.