Periodic Reporting for period 2 - IMPULSE (Identity Management in PUbLic SErvices)
Reporting period: 2022-05-01 to 2024-01-31
Secure and privacy-preserving eID technology is an essential enabler for trust and confidence in the Digital Single Market (DSM), assuring data protection and prevention of online fraud, among others. These aspects really matter to public e-services, since citizens and organisations need to trust that their data are treated in full respect of existing data protection legislation for compliant and trustworthy digital transactions. Within this context, the DSM as a whole and public services and society would greatly benefit from disruptive digital identity management technology: existing services will gain adoption by reaching new segments of population, breaking existing barriers currently causing a negative social perception while, at the same time, novel and innovative electronic services requiring robust, trustworthy and privacy-preserving identity management will be unlocked, attracting SMEs and entrepreneurs and fostering public-private partnerships.
IMPULSE overall objective is to transform the mainstream discourse on digital identity by drawing up a user-centric multi-stage method of multidisciplinary evaluation of eID management that combines the bottom-up approach of co-creation with the need for a universal vision of digital identity ethics in providing public services. The focus of the research is on evaluating the benefits, but also risks, costs and limitations, considering socio-economic, legal, ethical and operational impacts, together with framework conditions. To this end, IMPULSE brings together a set of representative and innovative public sector use cases as pilot studies in 5 countries.
Actionable outcomes:
A framework for a holistic integration of AI and blockchain technology to support secure and privacy-preserving eID management by public services,
Actionable roadmaps for the adoption, escalation and sustainability of advanced eID by public services in the European ecosystem supported by DIHs all around Europe.
IMPULSE overall objective is to transform the mainstream discourse on digital identity by drawing up a user-centric multi-stage method of multidisciplinary evaluation of eID management that combines the bottom-up approach of co-creation with the need for a universal vision of digital identity ethics in providing public services. The focus of the research is on evaluating the benefits, but also risks, costs and limitations, considering socio-economic, legal, ethical and operational impacts, together with framework conditions. To this end, IMPULSE brings together a set of representative and innovative public sector use cases as pilot studies in 5 countries.
Actionable outcomes:
A framework for a holistic integration of AI and blockchain technology to support secure and privacy-preserving eID management by public services,
Actionable roadmaps for the adoption, escalation and sustainability of advanced eID by public services in the European ecosystem supported by DIHs all around Europe.
IMPULSE final version includes user and public administration digital wallets, the user application, the public administration’s enterprise service, the informed consent service, and the AI modules such us the biometric services and the document verification service. It is associated with EBSI v2.
A co-creation methodology was defined and adopted. The pilots were divided into 3 phases: The pre-pilot, to research end-users' ideas and expectations of the new eID solution, and the 1st and 2nd pilots, used to gather feedback about the IMPULSE solution prototypes. The pilot results gave information on what was done great, what could be improved and what is recommended for IMPULSE and other similar solutions.
An ethical framework was developed to use both as a guideline for the project’s architecture and requisites, and for the evaluation and the assessment of the project’s outcomes. Furthermore, a compilation of a dictionary of the main ethical and legal terms to establish a common semantic foreground and reach a better mutual understanding was created. Internal analysis of the main policy issues and related mitigation actions was carried out, and two policy brief workshops conducted with external policy makers, forming the basis for the final recommendations on standards, ethical, legal and privacy issues, that aims to be a useful for any stakeholder engaging into an eID project.
The project contributed to standardisation activities through a liaison with CEN/TC 224 – Personal identification and related personal devices with efforts on WG18 – Biometrics and WG20 – Ad Hoc Group on European Digital Identity Wallets. On a national level it contributed to UNE 71307-1 - Distributed Identities Management Model on Blockchain and other Distributed Ledger Technologies. Part 1: Reference Framework from the Spanish standardisation committee UNE CTN 71/SC 307.
Based on literature review and interviews, hypotheses about acceptance and impact were developed. Firstly, a large (N=740) online survey of potential end users in 9 countries was conducted. Secondly, models of the potential economic impact were built, data collected to “feed” the models, and the models estimated. Furthermore, a SWOT analysis was performed, and 4 business models analysed. The results permit data-based predictions about the economic and social impact of IMPULSE, likely adoption rates, and business possibilities.
Clear comprehensible and activatable roadmaps have been drawn up. The aim of these 6 national roadmaps and one European is to highlight both the differences and similarities between countries, with a view to ensuring more widespread use of eID by and for public services.
The consortium was active in events and starting publications. The project website and social media channels were launched and continuously updated. Materials for dissemination were designed and 9 videos were produced to introduce the project’s goals and show how it works. The IMPULSE community ended up with around fifty members. A final event was organised and extended abstracts were accepted and presented. Furthermore, a special issue for digital identities was set-up
A co-creation methodology was defined and adopted. The pilots were divided into 3 phases: The pre-pilot, to research end-users' ideas and expectations of the new eID solution, and the 1st and 2nd pilots, used to gather feedback about the IMPULSE solution prototypes. The pilot results gave information on what was done great, what could be improved and what is recommended for IMPULSE and other similar solutions.
An ethical framework was developed to use both as a guideline for the project’s architecture and requisites, and for the evaluation and the assessment of the project’s outcomes. Furthermore, a compilation of a dictionary of the main ethical and legal terms to establish a common semantic foreground and reach a better mutual understanding was created. Internal analysis of the main policy issues and related mitigation actions was carried out, and two policy brief workshops conducted with external policy makers, forming the basis for the final recommendations on standards, ethical, legal and privacy issues, that aims to be a useful for any stakeholder engaging into an eID project.
The project contributed to standardisation activities through a liaison with CEN/TC 224 – Personal identification and related personal devices with efforts on WG18 – Biometrics and WG20 – Ad Hoc Group on European Digital Identity Wallets. On a national level it contributed to UNE 71307-1 - Distributed Identities Management Model on Blockchain and other Distributed Ledger Technologies. Part 1: Reference Framework from the Spanish standardisation committee UNE CTN 71/SC 307.
Based on literature review and interviews, hypotheses about acceptance and impact were developed. Firstly, a large (N=740) online survey of potential end users in 9 countries was conducted. Secondly, models of the potential economic impact were built, data collected to “feed” the models, and the models estimated. Furthermore, a SWOT analysis was performed, and 4 business models analysed. The results permit data-based predictions about the economic and social impact of IMPULSE, likely adoption rates, and business possibilities.
Clear comprehensible and activatable roadmaps have been drawn up. The aim of these 6 national roadmaps and one European is to highlight both the differences and similarities between countries, with a view to ensuring more widespread use of eID by and for public services.
The consortium was active in events and starting publications. The project website and social media channels were launched and continuously updated. Materials for dissemination were designed and 9 videos were produced to introduce the project’s goals and show how it works. The IMPULSE community ended up with around fifty members. A final event was organised and extended abstracts were accepted and presented. Furthermore, a special issue for digital identities was set-up
IMPULSE generates new empirical evidence on facilitating a wider digitisation of public services, with the formulation of recommendations about how to design and promote socially sustainable and economically positive eID solutions. Furthermore, eID has serious ethical and societal implications that were explored through the development of policy recommendations to facilitate the introduction of such technologies, as well as a system to assess beforehand the potential social acceptance of it
IMPULSE has contributed for designing eID solutions that can impact the future design and development of similar solutions, and by conducting empirical studies of the acceptance (adoption) and social-economic impact of these solutions. Collecting requirements directly from the end users help facilitate and refine the overall solution, as well as the architecture and system specification. A service blueprint for developing and adopting a digital public service was created, that proposes recommendations and best practices to be followed. To assess the impact and likely acceptance, a survey, interviews, and economic modelling were undertaken, as well as business model analysis. These provide with important information to guide in the development of digitisation and eID strategies, and the development of sustainable business options for eID services. While modelling of impacts and research on acceptance must always be context-specific, the survey instrument and economic models developed can be adapted to future cases, and the empirical results provide reference points for future researchers
By becoming involved in ongoing and new standardization activities, project results can be distributed widely outside the range of the project, taking the advantage to apply the standards identified during and beyond the project
On the technical side, the advances are in the design, development and instantiation of a self-sovereign eID solution based on the ESSIF Framework and which integrates novel technologies (biometric, document validation, smart contract based informed consents) into a unique and holistic solution to ensure high requirements of inclusivity, security, privacy, usability and acceptance, where IMPUSLE eID solution is expected to be a serious alternative to implement the EUDI wallet in the European Member States
IMPULSE has contributed for designing eID solutions that can impact the future design and development of similar solutions, and by conducting empirical studies of the acceptance (adoption) and social-economic impact of these solutions. Collecting requirements directly from the end users help facilitate and refine the overall solution, as well as the architecture and system specification. A service blueprint for developing and adopting a digital public service was created, that proposes recommendations and best practices to be followed. To assess the impact and likely acceptance, a survey, interviews, and economic modelling were undertaken, as well as business model analysis. These provide with important information to guide in the development of digitisation and eID strategies, and the development of sustainable business options for eID services. While modelling of impacts and research on acceptance must always be context-specific, the survey instrument and economic models developed can be adapted to future cases, and the empirical results provide reference points for future researchers
By becoming involved in ongoing and new standardization activities, project results can be distributed widely outside the range of the project, taking the advantage to apply the standards identified during and beyond the project
On the technical side, the advances are in the design, development and instantiation of a self-sovereign eID solution based on the ESSIF Framework and which integrates novel technologies (biometric, document validation, smart contract based informed consents) into a unique and holistic solution to ensure high requirements of inclusivity, security, privacy, usability and acceptance, where IMPUSLE eID solution is expected to be a serious alternative to implement the EUDI wallet in the European Member States