On the interoperability of european national identity cards

Abstract

Electronic identity (eID) schemes are key enablers of secure digital services. eIDs have been adopted in several European countries using smart-cards for secure authentication and authorization. Towards achieving a European digital single market where European citizens can seamlessly access cross-border public services using their national eIDs, the European Union (EU) developed the electronic IDentification, Authentication and trust Services (eIDAS) regulation. eIDAS creates an interoperable framework that integrates the eIDs adopted in the EU Member States (MS). It is also an enabler of a cross-border operation, harmonized with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regulation by protecting the privacy of personal data. If one can use the same procedure for authentication and authorization abroad, one can better understand new services that use eIDs. This paper provides a comparative analysis of eID cards adopted in EU MS and their privacy features in preparedness for eIDs cross-border interoperation.