On 11-12 June 2024, close to 30 participants from 13 Prague Process states took part in the Identity Week Europe 2024, which brought together a diverse international audience of over 3,000 participants from 112 countries in Amsterdam. With 200 experts and 250 exhibitors, ID Week provides an excellent platform for global collaboration and innovation-sharing in the area of digital identity.
This year’s event underscored the critical importance of identity verification in an increasingly digital threat-prone world. The agenda of ID Week 2024 covered four overarching themes: digital identity framework, the future of border management and security, document security and the fight against document fraud, as well as digital identity in government and financial services.
A major highlight was the keynote of the European Commission on the European Digital Identity Framework, detailing the EU's legislative progress for digital IDs. The session covered the newly published regulation and the Architecture Reference Framework, currently open for public feedback. This framework aims to unify digital identity verification across Europe, enabling citizens to securely prove their identity for various online services.
The future of border security in Europe was another important highlight. The presentation by Frontex outlined the upcoming implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES) by 2024 and the operational launch of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) by mid-2025. The presented integration of Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) into existing EU systems highlights efforts to facilitate smoother and more secure border crossings.
Panels on digital identity in government and financial services sparked engaging discussions. The government panel examined the evolving regulatory landscape for digital ID applications and explored technologies that enable seamless digital experiences. Key topics included interoperability, user-friendliness, and ensuring inclusivity in digital identity systems.
Identity Week Europe 2024 also featured thought-provoking panels on the future of digital identity. Discussions ranged from the impact of emerging technologies like IoT and quantum computing on identity verification to the ethical considerations of AI in digital identity programs. Experts shared their visions for the future, emphasizing the need for robust security measures and regulatory frameworks to keep pace with technological advancements.
A dedicated session on innovations in security documents highlighted the latest advancements in document design and authentication methods. Participants were introduced to the next generation of electronic ID documents, featuring enhanced security measures and user-friendly features. Several countries, including the Netherlands, have either recently launched or are about to launch new ID documents with enhanced security features. These advancements aim to make identity verification more reliable and efficient, addressing the challenges posed by document fraud.
On 13 June, right after the ID Week conference, the participants gathered at the tailor-made Prague Process Training on Identity Verification and Document Authentication, which was organised in cooperation with the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) under the Ministry of Justice and Security of the Netherlands. The training provided expert insights into document and identity verification and gave space for collaborative discussions to enhance examination skills. The practical exercises with counterfeit and authentic breeder documents enabled participants to engage in the detailed examinations, receive feedback as well as exchange their counties’ experience on methods to detect and prevent document fraud.
All states expressed their appreciation for attending Identity Week Europe 2024 and for the meaningful engagement during the training sessions. Both events contribute to technological advancement at the national level and capacity development in the countries of the Prague Process region, aligning with the goals set by the Prague Process Action Plan 2023-2027.
The next Identity Week Europe will take place on 17-18 June 2025. Read more here.
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