The Citizen ID Forum and the fifth Electronic Passport Forum will review the global status of deployments of government-issued eID documents.

2006 has seen the foundation of a global infrastructure supporting a major technology shift: the digitalization of citizen ID Documents. The issuing of machine-readable passports is the first of three subsequent digitalization waves – after ePassports we expect to see electronic National IDs and finally Driver’s Licences, eHealth and Social Security Cards, ‘Green Cards’, and even Visas become digital documents across the world. Such a revolution paves the way to a broader market penetration of RFID and biometric technologies in the areas of citizen ID and eGovernment projects.

ePassports While all Schengen countries now boast digital passports, new entries in the ePassport arena like Turkey are taking center stage in 2007. ePassports capitalize on advanced technologies to enhance the security and efficiency of border control operations. The three cornerstone features of the ePassport issuance process are PKI, digital identity and biometrics. One hot issue this year will be the move from BAC to EAC. .

National IDs Although over 80% of the twenty-five European Union Member States already have some form of identity card scheme in place, very few are based on electronic cards. However, the trend towards this form of technology is becoming ever more apparent and numerous European Union members are either in the process of introducing a biometric-based system or are at least considering doing so..

Visas With regards to other emerging citizen ID programs - Driver’s Licences, ‘Green Cards’, Visas, (with the exception of eHealth Cards) - the trend is a move towards nationally issued ID documents that can be used in an international application context. In much the same way as with ePassports, the use of biometrics is expected to enhance security by making it easier to link the eDocument with the rightful owner.

4 Hot Topics As the first electronic MRTDs (Machine Readable Travel Documents) reach travelers’ pockets, the hot issues that will be addressed at this year’s Electronic Passport Forum are: Security   Counterfeiting has always been and will continue to be an issue with every ID document produced by governments. Security features raise the bar for fraudsters, who tend to follow technological evolution closely. But the fraud problem is not only technical. There are many other forms that need to be prevented, such as the multiple request of ID documents, multiple use, asylum seeker misuse, etc. Privacy   An issue that tends to blow hot and cold in terms of its topicality but which will certainly be very relevant this year, as the infrastructure for electronic passports is deployed and projects go live. As millions of people are on the verge of being issued electronic IDs, these concerns are likely to re-surface and attract the attention of the media and privacy advocates. Multiapplication   Digitalization paves the way to the addition of extra functionalities that will be typical of the new generation of government-issued citizen ID documents. Multi-application citizen ID credentials will support online authentication for purposes ranging from eGovernment to eBusiness, as well as offline authentication to verify the age of consumers of alcohol, tobacco and videos. Interoperability   An issue as well as an opportunity for all major citizen ID programs, interoperability is the key to ensuring that the chosen technology works in the real world. In the area of visas, interoperability is not really a problem outside of Europe, as their use is country specific. However, it will be an issue in the EU, as the European border control authorities will need to be able to read visas issued by all member states.