Survey
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 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.
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.
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:
•
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 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 e-business 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 large-scale
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 egovernment 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.