The Spanish government is launching an action plan to foster the use of the electronic ID card

• Advertising campaigns, training sessions, promotion and demonstration, free distribution of 800,000 electronic ID card readers and 4 million information leaflets, a dedicated website aimed at promoting its use (www.usatudni.es), etc., are just some of the planned actions
• Using an electronic ID card, citizens can perform numerous tasks on the Internet involving official bodies and companies, in a secure, convenient and efficient manner
• Most public bodies (national government, regional government and local organisations) and companies already have services which allow citizens to use an electronic ID card
• This initiative, which forms part of the Avanza2 Plan, is managed by the Secretary of State for Telecommunications and the Information Society, via red.es

The Spanish government, via the Secretary of State for Telecommunications and the Information Society, has today announced the launch of an action plan to promote the use of the electronic ID card among citizens and business groups.

This plan also seeks to boost the range of services and reliable applications which promote the use of the electronic ID card, by energising the information technology industry and service providers. The actions which form part of the plan will be implemented by the various autonomous regions until July 2010.

The actions include the launch of an advertising campaign in the national, regional and local media; carrying out more than 520 training sessions aimed at presenting the advantages and uses of the electronic ID card throughout Spain; more than 30,000 promotion and demonstration sessions in the main ID card issuing offices, spanning all Spanish provinces; technical seminars aimed at companies and developers; actions aimed at removing barriers for the disabled at the ID card updating points in the issuing offices; free distribution of approximately 800,000 electronic ID readers amongst citizens and companies, and over 4 million information leaflets; the creation of a multi-channel information portal for citizens, companies and public bodies (www.usatudni.es) containing useful information about the advantages and services which are available for the use of electronic ID cards; the preparation of a catalogue of services available for the use of electronic ID cards, among others.

The implementation of the electronic ID card forms part of the Avanza2 Plan, which is included in the Plan E (www.plane.gob.es), promoted by the Spanish government, which details the measures adopted in order to sustain economic activity and lay the foundations for sustainable future growth.

The electronic ID card, which is similar to the traditional one, also contains a small chip, which can store information securely and process it internally, making it possible (in addition to the usual use of the traditional document) to establish electronically and unequivocally the identity of the person in order to operate safely in the digital world with the same certainty as in the physical world.

That way, citizens can perform numerous tasks on the Internet involving official bodies, companies and other citizens, safely, at any time, without having to wait or travel (making secure purchases on the Internet, completing formalities with official bodies, accessing on-line banking, using our personal computer securely, signing electronic documents, etc.).

500,000 electronic ID cards issued monthly

Around 12.5 million Spaniards already have an electronic ID card, and it is estimated that by the end of 2009 the figure will have reached as many as 14 million. These figures make Spain the country with the largest number of electronic ID card holders, making Spaniards pioneers in the use of the electronic ID card, and a world leader in this field.

Services which allow you to use an electronic ID card on the Internet
One of the new features of the electronic ID card is the option to complete formalities with official bodies and companies electronically, avoiding travel, queueing, etc. Currently, the vast majority of official bodies (national government, regional government and local organisations) and companies already have services which allow citizens to use an electronic ID card on the Internet.

The most popular services include: requesting an employee administrative record, submitting tax returns, applying for unemployment benefits, consulting personal data in public records, requesting and sending forms, paying taxes, accessing on-line banking, etc. (For further information on these services, check www.dnielectronico.es and www.060.es).

Likewise, in business, the electronic ID card is becoming a highly useful work tool, especially for SMEs, since it enables them to modernise and it boosts their competitiveness. Furthermore, it is becoming a factor in energising the Information Technology sector, boosting the development of services and products linked to the process of using electronic ID cards.

An Internet connection and a compatible reader are the only requirements for using an electronic ID card

In order to use an electronic ID card you need to have certain computer equipment –i.e. a computer with an Internet connection and a compatible reader-, which enables access to the card’s chip and, as such, the use of the certificates that it contains.

The specific software for using an electronic ID card can be obtained free of charge from the download area at http://www.dnielectronico.es/