In a world going digital, where more and more activities are conducted over the Internet, face to face or paper documentation creates unnecessary friction, costing up to three percent of European GDP. An effective digital solution offers the possibility of accomplishing verification at distance and nearly instantaneously. This could lead to simplified processes to do everything from opening bank accounts to applying for jobs.
A new CEPS research paper argues that Europe must move fast to meet this digital identification challenge.
Europe enjoys a giant opportunity to streamline identification. Over the past decade, it has built an electronic ID system called eIDAS laying out mandatory rules for eID. and most European Union citizens already carry national, chip-based, digital id cards. Some individual countries such as Belgium and the Nordics already are operating successful, world-beating digital ID systems. However, the potential uses of most cards are extremely limited and most residents face obstacles to using their eID when crossing borders.
The task ahead is to add enough credentials and services to the eIDAS system and to make them more useful. In turn, a better job will be needed to ensure interoperablability across Europe’s national borders. This will require updating the eIDAS regulation to fit new technologies and to expand beyond the present authentication of signatures to include verification of information and credentials such as diplomas and driving licenses.
A new regulatory framework requires leadership from the new European Commission. Please join us as we explore paths for ensuring Europe is able to take advantage of all the benefits digital identification has to offer.
Entry is open and free of charge, thanks to support from: Workday, Deloitte, Stripe and Mastercard
Registration from 15.30 – Meeting from 16.00 to 18.00
