A pan-european eID card ?: Recent standardisation projects

World wide standardisation projects in the field of electronic ID cards have to specify interoperable solutions in the framework of national and international legal guidelines. An interoperable European ID smart card based on the EU directive on electronic signature is aim of the eEpoch project. The specific technical objectives of eEpoch include the realisation of a demonstrator for demonstrating workable solutions to apply electronic signatures with a secure signature creation device (SSCD) at different European pilot sites. The specification of an IAS (Authentication, Identification, Signature) services module within the Smart Card is the central component of the demonstrator project. The requirements of relevant EESSI standards/documents (e.g., ESIGN Area K) and the results of the global Interoperability Framework Group (GIF) of the Smart Card charter (eEurope) are considered as well. The CEN/ISSS technical committee TC 224 will specify a European Citizen card to harmonise the different identity support of European countries with the most stringent level of security against fraud. The CEN/ISSS eAuthentication workshop output is intended to be a multi-volume multi-part CEN workshop agreement and aims for an international harmonization on eAuthentication in cooperation with Japanese and US American smart card interests. The ICAO technical advisory group on machine readable passports has specified electronic travel documents which are used with the US enhanced border security and visa entry reform act and specify the physical characteristics of biometrics.