The E-ID is introduced to be an easier way to identify European citizens, businesses, and residents. It is an identification system that is intended to be used as a personal digital wallet (European Commission, 2021). For many websites and applications users need to create an account and therefore must fill in their (private) information, this results in much data of users that is saved, which are not always secure and prone to leaks. The E-ID can be seen as a secure e-identity that can be used anywhere in the European Union (European Commission, 2021).
This digital identity has several benefits such as :
-Users only need to register once and have their data stored by one organization.
-A digital identity that is recognized everywhere in the European union.
-An uncomplicated way to manage how much of your information is getting shared with other services.
The main reason the E-ID should be implemented is that there is a lack of an international identification systems that is available for people in the EU. A good example is that the Netherlands has a national system to digitally identify yourself, called DigiD. However, with this national digital ID, it is not possible to identify yourself in another country besides the Netherlands. Therefore, we see that Dutch people in some other EU countries must go through an entire procedure to complete a small application. The use of an E-ID would solve this problem and make these kinds of processes a lot faster and easier for everyone.
The E-ID can be used for various things, such as:
-Applying for a high school in another country
-Changing your living address
-Requesting birth certificates
-Register a company
Last week ABN AMRO, one of the first Dutch companies to introduce E-ID, has introduced E-ID in a partnership with Swapfiets on its platform. They are currently running a pilot for five hundred people and has already received positive feedback (ABN AMRO, 2022). ABN AMRO recognizes that the influx of newer customers for numerous services will increase as the onboarding process is facilitated. It is expected that in the future more companies and governments will introduce the E-ID, since it is being beneficial for everyone.
References:
ABN AMRO. (2022). Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://www.abnamro.com/nl/nieuws/abn-amro-introduceert-e-id-met-betaalfunctie-in-partnership-met-swapfiets
European Commission. (2020). European Commission – European Digital Identity. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/european-digital-identity_en
