CEF makes €3 million available in funding for cross-border eID and eSignatures
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The first 2020 Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Call for Proposals for eID and eSignature opened on 23 March and provides up to €3 million for projects reusing the CEF eID and eSignature Building Blocks.
The presentation on the 2020-1 CEF Telecom eIdentification & eSignature call is now available:
The objectives for eID
CEF eID primarily supports the Member States in the roll-out of the eIDAS Network - the technical infrastructure which connects national eID schemes. Service Providers (public administrations and private sector organisations) may then connect their services to this network, making these services accessible across borders and allowing them to enjoy the legal recognition brought by eIDAS.
For CEF eID, this years €2.5 million budget targets three areas:
- eID Digital Service Infrastructure (Building Block) integration;
- attributes enablement; and
- eIDAS node upgrades.
The eID Digital Service Infrastructure integration budget stream is aimed at supporting existing online services, systems or platforms that want to connect to the eIDAS network. In doing so they can enable users holding any one of 15 different (and growing) eID means available in 13 different EU Member States to securely identify and authenticate themselves when connecting to their service.
The attributes enablement budget stream is aimed at those organisations who want to link additional attributes (e.g. information about academic credentials held) to the eIDAS network. This would enable information about these attributes to be shared over the eIDAS network. This could allow, for example, users with an eID linked to the network to confirm that they have a particular academic qualification using this eID.
The eIDAS node upgrade budget stream is aimed at those organisations currently maintaining an eIDAS node. These nodes are the foundational elements of the eIDAS network, enabling the interconnection and mutual recognition of different national eID means so that eID means issued in one country can be used in other EU countries.
The objectives for eSignature
The CEF eSignature Building Block helps public administrations and businesses accelerate the creation and verification of electronic signature across borders.
For CEF eSignature, this years €0.5 million budget targets the following area:
- Uptake and reuse of eSignature.
The uptake and reuse of eSignature budget stream is aimed at developing systems for Member States and the private sector for the use of electronic signatures and electronic seals. The focus is on demonstrating the use of the eSignature Building Block’s DSS open-source library for the creation and/ or validation of signatures and seals in line with the eIDAS Regulation and related standards. It is possible to address this objective alone or in combination with the first two objectives of eID.
The bottom line
Applicants now have until 25 June 2020 to submit proposals in response to the call. Both eID and eSignature are crucial elements of the efforts to enable citizens and businesses to operate securely in the digital world and build trust in online interactions. The new CEF 2020 call for proposals offers support for organisations working in different ways towards this goal.