We Sound the Alarm – Severe Shortcomings in European eID Implementation
On 7. August 2024 together with other NGOs and IT experts we voice significant concerns regarding the current draft of the technical implementation for the European Digital Identity Wallet (based on the eIDAS Regulation). In a joint statement we urge EU policy makers to take a step back and rethink the technical requirements for the European eID – a large system, that will store and process EU citizens’ most sensitive educational, health and financial data.
The success of this cross-border digital ID system will largely depend on citizens’ trust. In order to provide a safe and privacy-respecting ecosystem for the exchange of personal data, the digital Wallet must put the protection of citizens first.
The current proposal for the digital Wallet’s technical implementation, however, is falling short of the human rights and privacy-by-design safeguards prescribed by the eIDAS Regulation. It would lead to a disastrous system that has backdoors for law enforcement, no meaningful redress in cases of fraud or identity theft as well as outdated cryptographic mechanisms. This was highlighted by independent analyses from cryptographers and civil society.
If policy makers proceed hastily with this technical framework chasing an unrealistic deadline, it could severely harm fundamental rights in the long term by setting an alarming negative example instead of a human rights respecting global standard.
Therefore we join forces with other NGOs and IT experts and call on the European Commission and EU Member States to pay full justice to an ID system that will process Europeans’ most sensitive data.
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