The State of the Electronic Identity Market: Technologies, Infrastructure, Services and Policies

JRC Scientific and Technical Reports, 2010

84 Pages Posted: 14 Nov 2010

See all articles by Toby Stevens

Toby Stevens

affiliation not provided to SSRN

John Elliott

Consult Hyperion

Anssi Hoikkanen

European Union - Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS)

Ioannis Maghiros

European Union - Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS)

Wainer Lusoli

European Commission JRC - Institute for Prospective Technological Studies

Date Written: October 29, 2010

Abstract

Authenticating onto systems, connecting to mobile networks and providing identity data to access services is common ground for most EU citizens, however what is disruptive is that digital technologies fundamentally alter and upset the ways identity is managed, by people, companies and governments. Technological progress in cryptography, identity systems design, smart card design and mobile phone authentication have been developed as a convenient and reliable answer to the need for authentication. Yet, these advances are not sufficient to satisfy the needs across people's many spheres of activity: work, leisure, health, social activities nor have they been used to enable cross-border service implementation in the Single Digital Market, or to ensure trust in cross border eCommerce. The study findings assert that the potentially great added value of eID technologies in enabling the Digital Economy has not yet been fulfilled, and fresh efforts are needed to build identification and authentication systems that people can live with, trust and use. The study finds that usability, minimum disclosure and portability, essential features of future systems, are at the margin of the market and cross-country, cross-sector eID systems for business and public service are only in their infancy. This report joins up the dots, and provides significant exploratory evidence of the potential of eID for the Single Digital Market. A clear understanding of this market is crucial for policy action on identification and authentication, eSignature and interoperability.

Keywords: Electronic Identity, Identification, Authentication, eID, Policy, Digital Agenda for Europe

JEL Classification: L11, L22, L52, L86, L98

Suggested Citation

Stevens, Toby and Elliott, John and Hoikkanen, Anssi and Maghiros, Ioannis and Lusoli, Wainer, The State of the Electronic Identity Market: Technologies, Infrastructure, Services and Policies (October 29, 2010). JRC Scientific and Technical Reports, 2010, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1708884

Toby Stevens

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

John Elliott

Consult Hyperion ( email )

Guildford, Surrey GU2 4HN
United Kingdom

Anssi Hoikkanen

European Union - Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) ( email )

Edificio Expo, C
Inca Garcilaso, s/n
Sevilla, E-41092
Spain

Ioannis Maghiros

European Union - Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) ( email )

Edificio Expo, C
Inca Garcilaso, s/n
Sevilla, E-41092
Spain

Wainer Lusoli (Contact Author)

European Commission JRC - Institute for Prospective Technological Studies ( email )

Edificio Expo
C/ Inca Garcilaso 3
Sevilla, 41092
Spain

HOME PAGE: http://www.lusoli.info

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