D4.2: Set of requirements for interoperability of Identity Management Systems

FIDIS MAIN IDENTITY ISSUES

Main identity issues

Libon points out that the main identity issues are in establishing collaboration among different government bodies at the political level. He notes that the federal state political system in Belgium, where competencies are distributed between the various authorities, makes it impossible to offer integrated services without collaboration among the different governmental bodies in the country. For him, central administration must act as enabler removing obstacles and creating the correct environment for cooperation.

Timmers, in his position as head of the egovernment unit in the EU, sees the main issue related to changing the culture of public administration towards a more modern system.

Hollosi and Martin are responsible for developing and coordinating the egovernment projects in Austria, headed by the Stastelle IKT-Strategie des Bundes (also called the Chief Information Officer of the Austrian government). One of the most important projects of this unit is the implementation of the Austrian Citizen Card which will become the “Official identity document” used for all electronic administrative procedures. Interoperability is seen as critical in this project and the slogan for the card is “Open interfaces for egovernment”. Hollosi and Martin said that the main issues with the interoperability of identity systems to be security, privacy, costs (High costs must be justified with reasonable added value) and the legal framework.