1. EPAN – eGovernment WG Interoperability of eGovernment systems The identification number, data sharing and data protection issues
Luxembourg, 12 May 2005

2. Public Research Center – Gabriel Lippmann
Study by
Public Research Center – Gabriel Lippmann
Research Unit in Information Systems
B. Otjacques & P. Hitzelberger
Ordered by
Ministère de la Fonction Publique et de la Réforme Administrative, Luxembourg
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

3. Agenda Motivation Project Definition and Planning Main Results
Conclusions
Questions & Answers
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

4. Motivation e-Government interoperability
Single Identification Number for citizens and companies is one of the building blocks
SIN underpins and eases Data sharing
Must tackle Political, Legal, Organisational, and Technological Issues, among which Data Protection Issues
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

5. Project Definition National Collaboration
Ministère de la Fonction Publique et de la Réforme Administrative
Centre de Recherche Public – Gabriel Lippmann, Cellule de Recherche, d’Etude et de Développement en Informatique
Commision Nationale pour la Protection des Données
Centre Informatique de l’Etat - Service du Répertoire général des personnes
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

6. Project Definition
Update of the Belgian study in 2001 on « Electronic identification of citizens and organisations in EU »
Minutes of WG eGov, Nov. 2001: « … necessary for the future debate in this WG to split up the theme of unique id. keys, electronic signatures and electronic id. cards and treat them separately… »
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

7. Project Definition Update of the 2001 Belgian study on e-Id
Restriction of scope
Limited to Single Identification Number Issue
Excluded: PKI issues, electronic id. card
Extension of scope
10 new Member States + 4 Candidate Countries
Impact of Data Protection Issues on Data Sharing
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

8. Project Planning Elaboration of the questionnaire (12/04 –01/05)
Questionnaire sent to States (01/05)
1st EPAN meeting (02/05)
Analysis of the answers (03/05 – 05/05)
Draft of final report presented at the 2nd EPAN meeting (12/05)
Last modifications to the final report (06/05)
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

9. Main results The global picture Drivers
Better service to the citizen (e.g. Belgium, Sweden)
Quest for efficiency (e.g. Sweden)
Provision of personalised public services (e.g. UK)
Reduction of risk of mistake (e.g. Cyprus, Lithuania)
Financial factors (e.g. Sweden)
New legislation (e.g. Hungary)
Law enforcement purposes (e.g. Cyprus)
Security issues (e.g. Cyprus, UK)
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

10. Main results The global picture SIN? Risk evaluation Yes No
Drivers
(service, cost, security …)
Risk evaluation
SIN?
Yes No
Selected solutions
SIN based sol. #3
SIN based sol. #2
SIN based sol. #1
Non SIN sol. #6
Non SIN sol. #5
Non SIN sol. #4
Legal
Org.
Techn.
Interoperability L1 O1 T1 L2 O2 T2 L3 O3 T3 L4 O4 T4 L5 O5 T5 L6 O6 T6
Candidates Solutions
(sect. spec. id, SIN …)
Eval. criteria
(cost, culture, data protect…)
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

11. Main results Use of identification number
Is there a single identification number for natural persons in your country?
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

12. Main results Use of identification number
Is there a single identification number for legal persons in your country?
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

13. Main results Use of identification number
General trend to adopt a SIN for natural persons
Exceptions: Germany and Hungary
Main trend does not mean unique, standardised solution all around Europe
Diversity in the solutions adopted!
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

14. Main results Diversity: technical construction of the SIN
Chiefly two main groups
Majority: Semantic coding (birth date, sex, others)
Some countries use random numbers for the reason of data protection concerns
Further differences of length and other details…
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

15. Main results Diversity: data linked to id. Number
Minimalist approach: restricts data to identification needs (e.g. name, date of birth, sex, consecutive number)
Multi-purpose approach: add and centralise sector specific data, e.g. financial, security or statistical-related data
A couple of countries store historical data
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

16. Main results Diversity: groups of persons covered by SIN
Common understanding: Citizens of a country
In reality, some nuances!
Residents
Persons born in the country
Foreign workers
Migrants, refugees
Persons who are liable to tax affairs
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

17. Main results Diversity: documents comprising the SIN
Identity cards, passports
Sector specific documents (e.g. social security card)
Other types of documents:
driving licence
tax statements
city transport cards
documents for enrolling children at university
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

18. Main results Diversity: legislative framework for id. number(s)
General legislation on Pers. Data. Protect.
General legislation on Pers. Data. Protect. with specific provisions
Specific legislations for specific id. numbers
Legislation organizing national register
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

19. Main results Diversity: role of supervisory authority
Variances concerning the situations
when it has to be notified
when it is consulted for comments
when it has to be asked for authorisation
Various exemptions to the notification requirements
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

20. Main results Diversity: 3 basic rights of the data subject
Information and notification right
Composition of the data set notified to the data subject:
purpose of the processing, name & address of the controller
recipients of the data, rights of the data subject, mandatory/optional nature of answers, consequence of refusal to answer, legal basis of the processing…
Exemptions
Consent of data subject, processing imposed by law…
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

21. Main results Diversity: 3 basic rights of the data subject
Access right
Data set that the data subject can access:
Existence of processing, processed data, process purpose…
legal basis of the processing in an intelligible form, progress of the processing, location where the data has been collected…
Mode of access (id. card, online, , by writing)
Exemptions to the access right
Right to object
No significant diversity
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

22. Main results Diversity: legal aspects of shared databases
Yes, but under various conditions
Prior check and authorisation of supervisory auth. (Austria, Belgium)
Authorisation by specific law (Denmark, Malta)
Kept up-to-date, not considered as reference (Belgium)
Monitoring the admissibility of individual access (Germany)
No, but mechanisms to exchange data
Czech Rep., Hungary
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

23. Main results Future: diversity of viewpoints
No need to change the current approach (e.g. Germany)
Plans to change the current approach (e.g. UK)
Going forward with the current approach (e.g. Austria)
Enlarging the current approach at the EU level (e.g. Belgium)
Reflection for going backward with the current approach (e.g. Lithuania)
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

24. Conclusions Similar general concern about privacy
Nuances in the assessment of risk
Diversity in the solutions adopted
Evolution of current solutions still going on
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number

25. Conclusions Thank you for your attention… Questions & Answers
EPAN, eGov WG, Interoperability - Identification number