ID cards have been a fixture in Spain for more than 50 years. But the current program, called DNI-e, for Documento Nacional de Identificación electrónica, opens up the possibility for new applications.
Over the years, the DNI has evolved from its earliest role as a mandatory document for internal spot checks by police to being the standard identification for everything from getting a driver’s license or passport to collecting a pension and social security benefits.
The new card does all that. In addition, cardholders will be able to use the ID to securely conduct business with the government online. The card is equipped with a contact interface and more than 32 kilobytes of memory.
There are three levels of access within the chip. The “public zone” is accessible for reading without restrictions, the “private zone” can be read using the owner’s PIN, and the “security zone” is accessible with a card reader.
The online user guide for the DNI-e card states the card is valid for all types of e-government transactions, from requesting a scholarship grant to making tax payments and carrying out business with private companies. Other governments, including those in Finland and Belgium, however, have offered this type of digital-certificate functionality on their cards without generating a lot of interest from citizens.
Spain’s program was launched in February 2006 with a 7,000-card pilot program that followed three years of development. It has slowly accelerated, and now more than 100,000 new cards are issued each month, said the government.
Several government departments or agencies are involved in the DNI-e program, including the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Tourism, and the national mint. The program will cost an estimated 313 million euros. (US$450.4 million). The 2007 budget is 77 million euros.
Quelle/Source: Card Technology, 29.10.2007
