The Finnish Government is to scrap its unpopular electronic ID card, replacing it with a system of identification developed by the country's banks under agreements due to be signed in August 2003. Finland, long recognised as an e-government pioneer, was one of the first European countries to develop an electronic ID card.
But in spite of much effort to promote the technology, however, Finnish citizens have continued to show a lack of enthusiasm for electronic ID, with disappointingly low levels of take up.
According to official figures only 10,000 out of the country's 5m population took up the option of the FINEID electronic ID, when the scheme was first launched in 2000. Cards were priced at 160 marks (£17).
The Government now hopes that the new system will give people more flexibility in proving their identity online making public services accessible without card reading technology that has proved cumbersome.
The new system will use electronic identification codes issued by Finnish banks to provide registration and access for online services.
Several government bodies in Finland are leading the development of the replacement service including the Social Insurance Institution, the Ministry of Labour and the Tax administration. They have negotiated cooperation agreements, which are about to be signed with three Finnish banks: Nordea, OP Bank Group and Sampo.
The system is expected to be delivered and implemented at the beginning of October 2003, with the first e-services using it available in spring 2004.
Quelle: Kablenet
