Belgium is aiming to prevent a vendor lock-in, allowing the state to access data with any application that supports the open format. It is the first nation to openly embrace ODF.
Additionally, from 1 July 2006, employers will be also able to register those employees made redundant by electronic forms.
Belgium's Employment and E-Government Minister Peter Vanvelthoven said the new changes are part of a fourth phase in the government's e-social security program.
Read more: Belgium's E-Government Electronic Identity Card Program
Information sharing is one of the basic principles of the Belgian eGovernment. Given the complex Belgian political structure with the Federal Government, five regional Governments, 10 Provinces and 589 local authorities, information sharing is essential, if not a citizen or a company will have major difficulties in finding his or her way in this forest of administrations. Even more, given the way how responsibilities have been divided among the different authority levels, an end-to-end service cannot be delivered to the citizen or enterprise if the different administrations at the different political layers do not cooperate and do not share information.
Read more: Belgium: Information Sharing: For Better Public Services
To trick fraudsters, the Home Office has introduced three circular arcs on the card - just beneath the identity photos - where you will find the name of the country in the official languages spoken in Belgium - French, Dutch and German, as well as in English. But instead of 'Belgien' in German, the ID card incorrectly uses the name 'Belgine' and instead of 'Belgium' in English, the card reads 'Belguim'. Vanneste has promised other errors will be printed on the card to "further confuse fraudsters". With any luck, these will not be revealed.