The eID Function of the nPA within the European STORK Infrastructure

Abstract

Germany will introduce the new electronic ID card (neuer Personalausweis) in credit-card format to replace the existing national identity card starting in November 2010. ID card data will be stored on an ID chip, enabling cardholders to identify themselves online when dealing with government authorities as well as commercial service providers. At the same time, cardholders can be confident that whoever requests their data is also authorized to do so. For official identity checks all electronic ID cards will include a digital photo; optional two fingerprints and/or a qualified electronic signature may also be stored on the chip. To use the new eID card the citizen needs a card reader as well as a client software called “Ausweis-App”. Since autumn 2009 an application trial is running to test and prepare the roll-out.

In parallel, the European Commission started in June 2008 the STORK project under the CIP, ICT PSP framework. STORK’s main objectives are to identify existing eID infrastructures in Europe, specify and implement a common architecture which allows secure and easy to use eID solutions in Europe, and demonstrate the European interoperability in six application pilots. The outcome of STORK will be a prototypical infrastructure to be a working basis for the pan-European eID architecture.