Should we have a European ID Card?

The European Commission is in discussion with all the EU member states on how to join up their data collection and sharing schemes across Europe. The EU say that the proposed eID system is expected to help reduce the administrative burden on mobile workers and travellers in the EU. It will also simplify cross border business transactions, company registrations, or payment of tax obligations for small businesses.

The following conference has been organised by EEMA (the independent European association for e-business) and is hosted by Cyber trust (The Global Information Security Specialist):

European e-ID Card Conference :

“Current Perspective and Initiatives from around Europe in government and business” 8/9th March 2007
Leuven Ubicenter - Philipssite 5 - 3001 Leuven, Belgium

The following is taken from the conference agenda:

Electronic identities are fundamental for secure access to and convenient use of eGovernment services in Europe. A number of Member States have introduced electronic ID card (e-ID) schemes, whilst others are in various stages of implementation and planning. In order to prevent these developments from creating new digital barriers across borders, a set of minimum requirements and common standards must be agreed to enable European e-ID solutions to interoperate. This conference will bring together the key players in this market to review the issues and challenges facing government industry and review the possible solutions.

The full conference agenda can be seen HERE.

There has been some objection to the proposed eID system, Ian Parker of the PJC Journal has posted the following about the subject on his blog:

So you thought that by giving the government all your personal details it would be to stop terrorists blowing up trains, or to stop immigrants claiming benefits, and the government tell us that our personal data will be safe in their hands. Then why are they going to give it all to the unelected EUROPEAN COMMISSION.
The Government introduced paper ID cards during WW2, it was planned for the information to be used for 3 purposes. To Identity you to the police, to use for food rationing and to receive medical care. When it was abolished in 1952 it was found government was using that information for 157 different purposes.
Our government is already giving our personal details to the Americans, they are currently passing laws to give it to companies and the BBC, and now they are going to give it all to Europe. We have consistently advised readers of this blog that data collection and data sharing is not a good thing for the population of Britain. Why would the EU want your finger prints, your DNA, your medical records, your tax records, your bank account details, details of who you are and how you link to other members of your family, in fact all the information that would be on your passport and ID card, if you never go to Europe.

You can read Ian’s full post HERE.

Gareth Young (Better known to many as the Little Man in a Toque) told the Daily Referendum:

First let us establish ownership. I own my identity. I claim exclusive cultural, biological, and intellectual rights to it. If I must relinquish exclusivity over certain pertinent and relevant details of my identity in order for the government to establish that I am eligible for NHS treatment, driver’s licence, a passport, etc., then I am happy to do so. But that’s as far as I am likely to go.
I strongly object to my details - whether taken with my consent or harvested - being passed to foreign governments. For all the difference it will make to the control that I have over ownership of my identity, I might as well just hand over all my details to a Nigerian gang or the Russian Mafia.

Q. Should we have an English Parliament?

To vote go to:

http://dailyreferendum.co.uk/ (These result are archived by the British Library)