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

FIDIS ROLE OF GOVERNMENT, MERCHANTS AND USERS TO FOSTER INTEROPERABILITY

Role of government, merchants and users to foster interoperability

At the legal level, Libon declares that new eID cards and interoperability should respect existing laws and regulatory framework especially on privacy and transparency for the users. Libon sees the most important role to be that of governments in establishing political commitment for harmonisation and interoperability among members states. 

Timmers said that the private sector has to date led the progress in interoperability but governments are catching up.  Governments are now leading the interoperability agenda, using private partnerships at different levels in different countries. Timmers argues that the partnership between government and private sector is the best reference model.

Hollosi and Martin said that although government is coordinating the implementation of the eID card, they have outsourced the development as much as possible to the private sector. They say that the Government “came up with the vision but commercial partners brought the card to life”, even the certification provider is private (no physical card is issued by the government).