3M, Gemalto, Morpho and Oberthur Technologies create the Secure Identity Alliance

Leading secure eDocuments companies 3M, Gemalto, Morpho (a division of Safran) and Oberthur Technologies announced the formation of the Secure Identity Alliance, a grouping dedicated to developing the usage of government-issued eDocuments (identity, health cards, driving licenses and ePassports in particular) for increased security, and to encourage deployment of secure convenient online services strengthening the privacy of the end-users.

The Secure Identity Alliance’s major objectives are to accelerate the transition to smart eDocuments and enable an open, interoperable and efficient roll-out of trusted eGovernment online services by:
• Describing and promoting use cases of convenient value-added eGovernment services.
• Sharing experiences and best practices between industry and governments modernizing their services, in particular towards ensuring the privacy of the end-users’ personal information.
• Promoting standardization of relevant and appropriate industry specifications.
• Making recommendations on the most up-to-date means to properly address the governments identity and privacy challenges, including eDocument hardware, software and secure printing technologies, materials and physical security expertise, in order to deliver the level of confidence and assurance needed for the rapid adoption of eServices that can be trusted by citizens.
• Providing consistent reference information on security, identity and privacy challenges in a transparent manner.

“The Secure Identity Alliance will help us better serve Government entities,” says Gareth Thomas, international business development manager, 3M Identity Management. “Together, we will highlight the advantages and encourage the adoption of microprocessor-based eDocuments, and develop added-value online applications that meet citizens’ needs today and tomorrow.”

“Electronic identification has become a real catalyst for the rapid adoption of online service,” Frederic Trojani, senior vice president of government programs at Gemalto, added. “Convenience, privacy protection and security are the three pillars of trust in modern, efficient electronic government services. When properly deployed, these powerful drivers lead to rapid citizen adoption, transforming the agencies’ services along the citizens’ expectations and providing for measurable effectiveness gains. The Secure Identity Alliance shall be the reference partner for governments looking to offer cutting-edge technology in e-documents and e-services to their citizens”.

Jacques Van Zijp, senior vice president business identity documents at Morpho (Safran), said that broad industry coverage through the Alliance’s membership base is crucial for success.

“Of course, the association is open to additional members from the eDocument industry willing to contribute to the success and roll out of secure eDocuments and associated online services,” Van Zijp noted.

“The different companies will support overall industry growth while continuing to compete, to ensure the highest quality and diversity of solutions with differentiated products and services for the benefit of Governments and their citizens,” Olivier Prestel, managing director of the Identity Business Unit at Oberthur Technologies, said.