DIGITAL IDENTITY CARD: WHERE AND WHEN
The United Kingdom has announced the introduction of a mandatory digital identification system, dubbed the 'Brit Card', for all UK residents by 2029. The system, which will take the form of an App, is intended to facilitate interactions with public, health, education, and welfare services.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated, 'I know working people are worried about the level of illegal migration into this country. A secure border and controlled migration are reasonable demands, and this government is listening and delivering.'
The digital card is not new in many European countries where it is already active. Estonia's e-ID, now nearly 20 years old, allows citizens to vote, digitally sign documents, access healthcare and education, and use banking services. In Spain, the DNI was introduced in 2006. In Denmark, where it has been in use since 2021, it is utilised by over 90% of the population for banking, tax, health, and many other active services.
Pilot projects are already underway in 26 EU countries, as well as Norway, Iceland, and Ukraine, involving hundreds of public authorities and private companies.
Over 2.5 million citizens, however, strongly oppose the project, stating that it is 'a step towards mass surveillance and digital control.' The use of European systems remains voluntary or linked to existing legal identity cards, unlike the UK's mandatory proposal. At a European level, the eIDAS regulation requires all member states to provide citizens with a digital identity by 2026.
