Electronic ID Card: Belgium Implements Affordable Digital ID Cards

Belgium's 10 million citizens will soon use their new digital eID cards to file taxes, open bank accounts and make purchases on the Internet—through the card's unique ability to digitally authenticate identity.

CSC modernized the mandatory identity cards for the Belgian government to help it pursue e-government opportunities, increase security and upgrade technology.

"On the one hand, the card had to be a highly secure identification document that would be used by law enforcement agencies, both visually and electronically, and support both e-government and business applications," says Daniel Frauman, principal consultant at CSC's European Consulting Central Group. "On the other hand, it had to be as easy to use as signing a paper document with a pen, and it had to be affordable."

CSC designed eID to electronically read and validate identity data, authenticate data remotely (for example, on the Internet) and provide a digital signature for electronic documents. The cardholder's identity and photo, stored electronically and printed on the card, can be verified when inserted into a card reader—used for Internet transactions and equipped with the technology to sign documents. Data stored in the card's chip is protected by a government-generated digital signature, which allows the card to be read and verified without human intervention—dramatically increasing the security of identity control.

Collaborating and achieving buy-in

During a 2001 feasibility study, CSC consulted with Belgian government municipalities, police, Social Security organizations and software suppliers to achieve buy-in and balance functionality, security and cost for the government. CSC helped the government select the suppliers of the cards and certification services; designed the specifications of how the eID cards would work; and worked with the card producers to design the chip functionalities, supporting software, tests and production data exchange environment.

As part of a 2003 pilot, the government distributed to citizens, companies and administrations in 11 municipalities a software solution that integrates eID authentication and identity data validation into any application. Full deployment of the cards for the entire country began in 2004 and will be completed during the next three to five years.

Many countries interested in eID cards are struggling to make the card affordable for citizens, but in Belgium citizens pay roughly $10 for the card and $15 for a card reader. A fraction of the cost pays for the authentication and digital signature functionality built into the cards, which enables the card to be used for commercial transactions over the Internet. If the government had not offered this functionality to citizens, they would have to pay 100 times more to get it.

Global opportunities

The drive to modernize ID documents varies depending on the needs of the country, but countless uses of eID cards are possible, including the preservation of homeland security, immigration and anti-terrorist control and even elections. Belgium's primary concern was e-government, but the successful adoption of the card is snowballing into commercial applications.

"This project enables Belgium to position itself in the vanguard of electronic identification and the relationship between administrations and the citizen," says Luc Vanneste, director general of Population and Institutions at Belgium's Ministry of the Interior. "As legislative and technological changes occur, why not broaden the concept to a card taking into account other parameters, not just identification?"

Belgium's private sector has already started integrating the eID card into various business environments, including the banking sector. The eID card will serve as the authentication token for all e-banking applications and point-of-sale terminals are being adapted to accept eID cards. Post offices will soon be outfitted with readers to verify residences of recipients receiving registered mail. Integrating industry-specific data into the eID card could make it usable for physical security; Web site/portal access; e-procurement; healthcare transactions; e-invoicing; or as a student, municipal or healthcare card.

It's the card's compatibility with commercial applications like Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat that gives eID its flexibility. In February 2005, Bill Gates pledged his support of eID in the development of new Microsoft products. Marc Stern, security solutions group manager for CSC Belgium, says CSC is collaborating with many major software manufacturers to exploit eID technology. "Now a lot of companies are endorsing the project, and major software vendors are modifying their applications to include the extended functionalities of the eID card," says Stern. "The result is quite exciting."

Belgium's digital ID card received a 2005 Award for Technical Excellence, CSC's top honor for innovation sponsored by the Leading Edge Forum, which provides technology thought leadership for CSC.

Related Information

View video clip about eID.

Find out more about CSC's Managed Authentication Services.

Find out more about CSC's Award for Technical Excellence.

Contact us for more information.