In the next few weeks, Mobile Connect will be trialled in two EU Member States, establishing proof-of-concept for cross-border authentication to e-Government services.
The pilot, launched on November 16, will demonstrate how Mobile Connect can be used to identify an EU-citizen of one Member State in order to gain access to a public service of another. Mobile Connect offers a simple way of achieving pan-European federation of cross-border services compatible with the eIDAS regulation, whilst enabling growth in digital public services nationally.
The trial is taking place between Catalunia and Finland, and will enable customers of participating Spanish operators, to log-in to a Finnish eGovernment service, using a digital identity validator that grants access to a complete public services portfolio. The customer experience is the same in both countries: After the customer presses the Mobile Connect button and enters their mobile number on the discover page, a PIN request appears on their mobile phone. By entering the correct PIN, the user’s identity is confirmed and the customer is logged-in to the eGovernment online service.
The pilot is the result of collaboration between organisations seeking to accelerate the uptake of trusted and secure digital authentication in response to the eIDAS Regulation. The Regulation aims to enhance trust in electronic transactions in the EU internal market by providing a common foundation for secure electronic interaction between citizens, businesses and public authorities, thereby increasing the effectiveness of online services in the EU. The GSMA and major operators, Orange Spain, Telefonica, TeliaSonera, and Vodafone Spain, are supporting the trial, as well as Gemalto, Mobile World Capital, the Catalunia Regional Government, the Finnish Ministry of Finance and Finnish Population Registration Centre.
The trial follows on from the EU’s recent adoption of the implementation rules of the eIDAS Regulation, which makes the EU the first and only region in the world to have a legal framework for safe cross-border access to services and online interactions between businesses, citizens and public authorities.
With the demand for secure and convenient authentication for digital services at an all-time high, this pilot further illustrates the market readiness of Mobile Connect.
To find out more register for the GSMA webinar.