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Part One: National ID – Europe
SURVEY
Benefits?
Part One: National ID – Europe Right across the world there is a drive to increase document security with biometrics. This is the first of a two-part survey into the use of biometrics in national identity cards and will focus on the European market. There has been increasing momentum in the region towards implementing biometrics, particularly given that biometric identifiers are now being introduced in passports and other ID documents in line with international requirements. Next month, Btt will focus on more ID card issues and hone in on schemes in other regions of the world. With a territory now spanning 25 countries and representing more than 450 million citizens, Europe is a major market for the biometric industry. Alongside the fast moving electronic passport sector, where biometrics are now being introduced with gusto, the national ID card market is another where biometrics are beginning to pick up momentum. Of the 25 Member States in the European Union, 21 already have some form of identity card scheme (the exceptions being Denmark, Ireland, Latvia and the UK). Most of these are not electronic-based cards, although this is a trend that is becoming increasingly evident. The potential introduction of biometrics is either under way or being considered by a number of Member States (see Table). Biometrics can perform number of important roles in the creation, issuance and subsequent use of ID cards. The primary biometrics under consideration in most projects around the world are face, finger and iris. Within Europe, fingerprint and face are the most common, although countries such as the UK are also keen on iris recognition, thanks to its ability to work highly effectively in a one-to-many mode, something that is desirable in preventing multiple applications for an ID document. As well as preventing multiple applications, biometrics can also be used to check that that person is not on any watch lists and, once any document is created, a biometric is also useful 10
to ensure that it is issued to the same person that applied for it in the first place. Finally, biometrics can be used in subsequent transactions, such as accessing eGoverment services, or for verification of identity in a myriad of circumstances, from its use as a travel document to its use as a proof of identity to access entitlements, such as social security or healthcare benefits.
So what are the potential benefits? This is one of the most contentious questions and the one that is always argued by anti ID card campaigners. For example, when governments say that cards will cut benefit fraud, campaigners often argue that this may be the case, but is a reason for issuing entitlement cards to welfare claimants, not compulsory ID cards to the whole population. Helping to preventing terrorism is another popular claim. But campaigners point to the Madrid bombings, where ID cards didn’t prevent the atrocity, or even to the London bombings where the perpetrators are believed to be home grown and would have been entitled to a perfectly legitimate ID card. Controlling immigration is another argument, but is somewhat spoiled by the fact that cards are often not issued to foreigners unless they have been in the country for a number of months. In the UK, a current list of benefits being touted includes: • •
• • •
National ID card appeal For those countries without electronic ID cards there are good reasons for upgrading. A key reason is the fact that EC countries are already mandated to introduce facial and fingerprint biometrics into their passports within the next few years. Many non-chip-based national ID cards already act as valid European travel documents. If these documents are not upgraded to reach the enhanced levels of security being integrated into passports, then national ID cards could potentially become the weak link in the chain. Cost is also a consideration. Some governments argue that even without an identity cards scheme, the majority of the population would be enrolled via existing identity documents like passports anyway. Therefore the costs involved would be nearly the same as implementing a comprehensive identity cards scheme available to the whole resident population, but without the added benefits.
•
tackling illegal working and immigration abuse; disrupting the use of false and multiple identities by organised criminals and those involved in terrorist activity; helping protect people from identity fraud and theft; improving public confidence and strengthen security; ensuring free public services are only used by those entitled to them; enabling easier and more convenient access to public services.
Whether this list will be enough to persuade the UK to pass legislation to implement biometric ID cards is yet to be seen, although the scheme does seem to be inching forwards, despite fierce opposition from some quarters.
Interoperability The EU does not currently have any jurisdiction over the issuance of national ID cards, but there have been moves to ensure that ID cards across Europe are interoperable. Europe’s G5 (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and United Kingdom), for example, has set itself the target of ensuring that new electronic identity cards are technically compatible and interoperable. This is to ensure that their citizens will be able to take advantage of the facilities made possible by e-administration. (France and Germany have been
Biometric Technology Today • October 2005
SURVEY particularly active in working together to create interoperable ID cards. By adopting a set of core modules relating to biometrics, digital qualified signatures and digital authentication, it would be possible for them, for example, to perform ebusiness transaction across borders.) The G5 countries now wish to open up a dialogue with the other States, in line with the Hague programme. The Hague programme looks at migration and asylum policies for the enlarged bloc of 25 countries and originated under the Dutch
Presidency of the European Council in late 2004. Part of the programme calls on the Council and European Commission to develop minimum security standards for eID cards including biometrics. In a related development, the UK Presidency of the Council of the European Union has put forward a proposal that all ID cards in the EU should have biometrics, including driving licences. In a speech to the European Parliament on 7 September 2005, the UK home secretary Charles Clarke, commented: “We argue that
internationally consistent and coherent biometric data should be an automatic part of our visas, passports and identity cards where we have them – and would even suggest driving licences as well.” Next month’s issue of Btt will take a look at a plethora of other issues surrounding the use of biometrics in national ID cards, such as the storage of biometrics in largescale databases and privacy implications, as well as the potential benefits of on-card matching. The survey will also focus on ID card schemes in other regions of the world.
Table: A selection of 10 European countries using or considering biometrics for their national id cards Belgium Electronic ID cards started to roll out to the entire population from September 2004, with the replacement of current paper cards by the end of 2009. The card is valid for five years and is an official ID document which can also act as a European travel document. Although there are no biometrics in the ID cards currently, the introduction of biometrics is envisioned for the future.
Estonia The Estonian Parliament took the decision to introduce an eID card in 2000, and the first cards were issued in January 2002. 130,000 were issued in the first year. The smart card can also act as a travel document in the European Union and European Economic Area. More than 100 services can be accessed using the card. A second chip holding the card owner’s facial image and fingerprint – complying with ICAO recommendations – is to be added to the card.
Finland Electronic ID card issuance began in 1999, although the ID card is not obligatory. The card is an official ID document and can act as a European travel document. The use of biometrics is being considered, based on experience with the country’s biometric passport.
France France is actively considering the implementation of a mandatory national identity card. Procurement for the INES (Identité Nationale Electronique Sécurisée, or Secure Electronic National Identity) project was expected to begin before end 2004, and according to the original schedule, the card should have been developed and tested during 2005, with a view to start distribution in 2006. However, opposition to the card has delayed the process and so the deployment date of the first ID cards is still up in the air. A report commissioned by the French Ministry of the Interior and published by the Internet Rights Forum, raised concerns saying that the reasons for introducing the card were not convincing enough. The report did reveal that 74% of citizens are in favour of the card and that 69% of citizens would welcome a mandatory card. A decision is still to be made regarding whether or not electronic ID cards will be mandatory in France or remain optional. The French administration is working closely with Germany to ensure a degree of interoperability.
Germany The German Federal Government has launched its eCard initiative to define and implement a common platform for all upcoming smart cards in Germany, including those that Federal Government ministries will be responsible for, such as the upcoming electronic ID card. Similar to the country’s ePassports, the card would include face and fingerprint images stored on a chip. Germany will not store the biometrics centrally and is currently expected to adopt a model where the cardholders’ biometrics are verified in the reader. A ‘match-on-card’ model has not been ruled out however. The German administration is working closely with France to ensure a degree of interoperability between the two countries ID cards.
Italy Italy has placed orders for more than two million optical memory cards following a ruling in May 2005 that paper-based citizen IDs can no longer be issued after 1 January 2006. The Italian government is planning for the entire adult population to have new citizen IDs within about six years. The citizen card has a five-year validity period. Each card contains a secure one megabyte optical memory stripe in which an individual’s demographics, color facial image, digitized signature, fingerprint and other biometrics are recorded. These cards are also ‘chip-ready’ to enable the Italian government to add e-government services. The ID card is already recognized as a travel card for border entry by some 32 European and North African countries.
Netherlands The Netherlands new biometric passport will start rolling out in the autumn of 2006 and will include facial biometrics. Fingerprint images will be added at a later stage. The country’s national identity card, which is currently held by 10 million people, will be upgraded at the same time to have the same characteristics as the ePassport.
Spain In February 2004 the Spanish Council of Ministers approved the creation and distribution to Spanish citizens of new electronic national ID cards containing biometric identifiers. The electronic ID cards will be identical to the current card in terms of size (credit card sized) but will contain a range of information in the smart card’s embedded microchip, including a fingerprint, which will be verified using a match on card system. Card issuance is expected to commence by the end of the first quarter of 2006. The total number of cardholders is expected to be 35 million. The validity of the card will be five or 10 years, depending upon the age of the cardholder.
Sweden From October 2005 Swedish police are expected to begin issuing an electronic national ID card, which will serve as both an official ID document and as a Schengen passport. The card will be valid for three-to five years. In the first instance the card will support face recognition and will most likely probably also support fingerprint recognition from 2006. It has not yet been decided whether the card will access government eServices.
UK Plans for a national ID card to be introduced in the UK were delayed because of the country’s general election, but the scheme – proposing a potential mix of finger, face and iris biometrics –has progressed despite a backdrop of increasing unease surrounding their introduction. In particular, strong concerns had been voiced about spiralling cost estimates, the potential invasion of privacy and the ability of the government to implement such a project. A Bill is now at the House of Lords, where it is expected to receive a mauling.
Biometric Technology Today • October 2005
11
Benefits?
Part One: National ID – Europe Right across the world there is a drive to increase document security with biometrics. This is the first of a two-part survey into the use of biometrics in national identity cards and will focus on the European market. There has been increasing momentum in the region towards implementing biometrics, particularly given that biometric identifiers are now being introduced in passports and other ID documents in line with international requirements. Next month, Btt will focus on more ID card issues and hone in on schemes in other regions of the world. With a territory now spanning 25 countries and representing more than 450 million citizens, Europe is a major market for the biometric industry. Alongside the fast moving electronic passport sector, where biometrics are now being introduced with gusto, the national ID card market is another where biometrics are beginning to pick up momentum. Of the 25 Member States in the European Union, 21 already have some form of identity card scheme (the exceptions being Denmark, Ireland, Latvia and the UK). Most of these are not electronic-based cards, although this is a trend that is becoming increasingly evident. The potential introduction of biometrics is either under way or being considered by a number of Member States (see Table). Biometrics can perform number of important roles in the creation, issuance and subsequent use of ID cards. The primary biometrics under consideration in most projects around the world are face, finger and iris. Within Europe, fingerprint and face are the most common, although countries such as the UK are also keen on iris recognition, thanks to its ability to work highly effectively in a one-to-many mode, something that is desirable in preventing multiple applications for an ID document. As well as preventing multiple applications, biometrics can also be used to check that that person is not on any watch lists and, once any document is created, a biometric is also useful 10
to ensure that it is issued to the same person that applied for it in the first place. Finally, biometrics can be used in subsequent transactions, such as accessing eGoverment services, or for verification of identity in a myriad of circumstances, from its use as a travel document to its use as a proof of identity to access entitlements, such as social security or healthcare benefits.
So what are the potential benefits? This is one of the most contentious questions and the one that is always argued by anti ID card campaigners. For example, when governments say that cards will cut benefit fraud, campaigners often argue that this may be the case, but is a reason for issuing entitlement cards to welfare claimants, not compulsory ID cards to the whole population. Helping to preventing terrorism is another popular claim. But campaigners point to the Madrid bombings, where ID cards didn’t prevent the atrocity, or even to the London bombings where the perpetrators are believed to be home grown and would have been entitled to a perfectly legitimate ID card. Controlling immigration is another argument, but is somewhat spoiled by the fact that cards are often not issued to foreigners unless they have been in the country for a number of months. In the UK, a current list of benefits being touted includes: • •
• • •
National ID card appeal For those countries without electronic ID cards there are good reasons for upgrading. A key reason is the fact that EC countries are already mandated to introduce facial and fingerprint biometrics into their passports within the next few years. Many non-chip-based national ID cards already act as valid European travel documents. If these documents are not upgraded to reach the enhanced levels of security being integrated into passports, then national ID cards could potentially become the weak link in the chain. Cost is also a consideration. Some governments argue that even without an identity cards scheme, the majority of the population would be enrolled via existing identity documents like passports anyway. Therefore the costs involved would be nearly the same as implementing a comprehensive identity cards scheme available to the whole resident population, but without the added benefits.
•
tackling illegal working and immigration abuse; disrupting the use of false and multiple identities by organised criminals and those involved in terrorist activity; helping protect people from identity fraud and theft; improving public confidence and strengthen security; ensuring free public services are only used by those entitled to them; enabling easier and more convenient access to public services.
Whether this list will be enough to persuade the UK to pass legislation to implement biometric ID cards is yet to be seen, although the scheme does seem to be inching forwards, despite fierce opposition from some quarters.
Interoperability The EU does not currently have any jurisdiction over the issuance of national ID cards, but there have been moves to ensure that ID cards across Europe are interoperable. Europe’s G5 (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and United Kingdom), for example, has set itself the target of ensuring that new electronic identity cards are technically compatible and interoperable. This is to ensure that their citizens will be able to take advantage of the facilities made possible by e-administration. (France and Germany have been
Biometric Technology Today • October 2005
SURVEY particularly active in working together to create interoperable ID cards. By adopting a set of core modules relating to biometrics, digital qualified signatures and digital authentication, it would be possible for them, for example, to perform ebusiness transaction across borders.) The G5 countries now wish to open up a dialogue with the other States, in line with the Hague programme. The Hague programme looks at migration and asylum policies for the enlarged bloc of 25 countries and originated under the Dutch
Presidency of the European Council in late 2004. Part of the programme calls on the Council and European Commission to develop minimum security standards for eID cards including biometrics. In a related development, the UK Presidency of the Council of the European Union has put forward a proposal that all ID cards in the EU should have biometrics, including driving licences. In a speech to the European Parliament on 7 September 2005, the UK home secretary Charles Clarke, commented: “We argue that
internationally consistent and coherent biometric data should be an automatic part of our visas, passports and identity cards where we have them – and would even suggest driving licences as well.” Next month’s issue of Btt will take a look at a plethora of other issues surrounding the use of biometrics in national ID cards, such as the storage of biometrics in largescale databases and privacy implications, as well as the potential benefits of on-card matching. The survey will also focus on ID card schemes in other regions of the world.
Table: A selection of 10 European countries using or considering biometrics for their national id cards Belgium Electronic ID cards started to roll out to the entire population from September 2004, with the replacement of current paper cards by the end of 2009. The card is valid for five years and is an official ID document which can also act as a European travel document. Although there are no biometrics in the ID cards currently, the introduction of biometrics is envisioned for the future.
Estonia The Estonian Parliament took the decision to introduce an eID card in 2000, and the first cards were issued in January 2002. 130,000 were issued in the first year. The smart card can also act as a travel document in the European Union and European Economic Area. More than 100 services can be accessed using the card. A second chip holding the card owner’s facial image and fingerprint – complying with ICAO recommendations – is to be added to the card.
Finland Electronic ID card issuance began in 1999, although the ID card is not obligatory. The card is an official ID document and can act as a European travel document. The use of biometrics is being considered, based on experience with the country’s biometric passport.
France France is actively considering the implementation of a mandatory national identity card. Procurement for the INES (Identité Nationale Electronique Sécurisée, or Secure Electronic National Identity) project was expected to begin before end 2004, and according to the original schedule, the card should have been developed and tested during 2005, with a view to start distribution in 2006. However, opposition to the card has delayed the process and so the deployment date of the first ID cards is still up in the air. A report commissioned by the French Ministry of the Interior and published by the Internet Rights Forum, raised concerns saying that the reasons for introducing the card were not convincing enough. The report did reveal that 74% of citizens are in favour of the card and that 69% of citizens would welcome a mandatory card. A decision is still to be made regarding whether or not electronic ID cards will be mandatory in France or remain optional. The French administration is working closely with Germany to ensure a degree of interoperability.
Germany The German Federal Government has launched its eCard initiative to define and implement a common platform for all upcoming smart cards in Germany, including those that Federal Government ministries will be responsible for, such as the upcoming electronic ID card. Similar to the country’s ePassports, the card would include face and fingerprint images stored on a chip. Germany will not store the biometrics centrally and is currently expected to adopt a model where the cardholders’ biometrics are verified in the reader. A ‘match-on-card’ model has not been ruled out however. The German administration is working closely with France to ensure a degree of interoperability between the two countries ID cards.
Italy Italy has placed orders for more than two million optical memory cards following a ruling in May 2005 that paper-based citizen IDs can no longer be issued after 1 January 2006. The Italian government is planning for the entire adult population to have new citizen IDs within about six years. The citizen card has a five-year validity period. Each card contains a secure one megabyte optical memory stripe in which an individual’s demographics, color facial image, digitized signature, fingerprint and other biometrics are recorded. These cards are also ‘chip-ready’ to enable the Italian government to add e-government services. The ID card is already recognized as a travel card for border entry by some 32 European and North African countries.
Netherlands The Netherlands new biometric passport will start rolling out in the autumn of 2006 and will include facial biometrics. Fingerprint images will be added at a later stage. The country’s national identity card, which is currently held by 10 million people, will be upgraded at the same time to have the same characteristics as the ePassport.
Spain In February 2004 the Spanish Council of Ministers approved the creation and distribution to Spanish citizens of new electronic national ID cards containing biometric identifiers. The electronic ID cards will be identical to the current card in terms of size (credit card sized) but will contain a range of information in the smart card’s embedded microchip, including a fingerprint, which will be verified using a match on card system. Card issuance is expected to commence by the end of the first quarter of 2006. The total number of cardholders is expected to be 35 million. The validity of the card will be five or 10 years, depending upon the age of the cardholder.
Sweden From October 2005 Swedish police are expected to begin issuing an electronic national ID card, which will serve as both an official ID document and as a Schengen passport. The card will be valid for three-to five years. In the first instance the card will support face recognition and will most likely probably also support fingerprint recognition from 2006. It has not yet been decided whether the card will access government eServices.
UK Plans for a national ID card to be introduced in the UK were delayed because of the country’s general election, but the scheme – proposing a potential mix of finger, face and iris biometrics –has progressed despite a backdrop of increasing unease surrounding their introduction. In particular, strong concerns had been voiced about spiralling cost estimates, the potential invasion of privacy and the ability of the government to implement such a project. A Bill is now at the House of Lords, where it is expected to receive a mauling.
Biometric Technology Today • October 2005
11