Germany’s interior ministry has circulated details of the electronic ID cards to be introduced from 2010. Biometric fingerprints, on which German public opinion is divided, will be optional.

A 116-page “rough concept” for the new eID card was sent to authorities, associations and IT specialists at the beginning of July for comments. It confirms that the card will contain a proximity chip. It will have two new functions – an electronic ID that can be used by the citizen for eGovernment and business transactions, and a storage area for an optional qualified electronic signature. The card will include PUK and PIN codes. The interior ministry paper argues that “the high German security level should also serve as the basis of an EU-wide standard for eID cards”.

The photo will be stored as an ICAO-standard biometric marker on the chip. But biometric fingerprints will be optional, the “rough concept” confirms. The government had originally planned compulsory fingerprinting, but this ran into opposition. The paper does, however, say that fingerprints would help to “bind the ID bearer more closely to the document”.

It suggests that issuing authorities should be required to draw applicants’ attention to this security aspect. Recent opinion polls indicate that about 50 % of Germans would opt to have fingerprints in their eIDs. In line with Germany’s Schengen commitments, fingerprints are already required in almost all new passports.

Further information:

• heise online – News article 03/07/08 (in German) 
• heise online – News article 04/07/08 (in German) 
• Virtuelle Datenschutzbüro – News article (in German) 
• futureZone.orf.at – Stories (in German)