The Belgian e-ID case. Identity of persons and documents. The role of governments in providing eSignatures

By the end of 2009 all Belgian citizens above the age of 12 will have received an eID with 2 certificates, one for authentication and one for eSignature. Belgium is the only country adopting an opt-out strategy related to both certificates, meaning that these certificates are activated as a default. The Belgian e-ID as such would not have existed without prior initiatives such as the Crossroads Bank for Social Security, the resulting Social Security Card (SIS-card) and the use of the National Register. Belgian population smoothly accepted the eID because Belgium has a long tradition of an obligatory identity card for citizens and because no new elements like biometrics or fingerprints were inserted. Usage of the eID in terms of e-government and e-commerce however remains limited. The complex structure of the state and the scattered competencies make that administrative and governmental entities, like municipalities, regions and communities, are obliged to develop and provide their proper e-government services. Collaboration agreements exist but financial constraints are an important barrier for implementation, certainly at the level of the municipalities. The development of eID-based services in a commercial context remains limited because the existing privacy framework narrowly defines the use and storage of the personal identity number as it indicates age and gender. Thus far the use of eSignature, which could be seen as a more radical innovation, does not take off. One of the main reasons is that it does not provide an added value for the existing processes in the private sector as online identification and authentication are accepted as valid by industry and citizens.

Trefwoorden:electronic identity, eID