Identity verification plays an important role in our day-to-day lives, as it allows us to prove who we are. This is what passports or identity cards are for. Now the identity verification process has gone digital thanks to modern technology: People can use digital ID solutions to access public and other services where they once had to show up in person – it's simple, fast and secure .

What is an e-ID and what is it used for?
Electronic identity (e-ID) solutions enable individuals and businesses to provide digital proof of who they are. An e-ID issued by a certified provider serves as a legally valid, standardized electronic means of identification. It can be used to authorize transactions, to ensure the secure transfer of personal data and certificates, and to provide a legally binding digital signature.
Today, e-ID solutions are used in several fields. For instance, they are absolutely essential for electronic payments. Based on modern technologies and legally compliant, these e-ID solutions provide simple and secure access to digital financial services such as one-time payments, digital banking services or loan applications. e-ID solutions can be used for far more than that, though – they come in helpful in all digital interactions that require proof of identity. A number of private and public sector organizations provide different types of e-ID solutions in Austria, but none of them is widely used for a broad range of applications. 
As a result, several national and international public and private sector e-ID solutions co-exist in the market. Many of them are neither interoperable nor do they meet uniform legal and security standards. Austria does not have a comprehensive cross-sector solution that individuals and businesses can rely on for different types of applications.

What is the goal of the OeNPAY idea contest?
OeNPAY aims to help shape the future of e-ID applications in Austria. e-IDs offer numerous benefits for individuals, businesses and public institutions. Taking full advantage of them requires a national e-ID infrastructure that meets cross-industry interoperability standards. The goal is an e-ID solution that serves as an interface to both private sector services and e-government services. OeNPAY aims to lay the foundation for such a comprehensive e-ID infrastructure in Austria in cooperation with all stakeholders.
This is why OeNPAY has organized the “e-IDentify yourself – OeNPAY Electronic Identity Challenge”: to crowdsource ideas for brilliant, new e-ID applications that transcend the range of existing solutions and can be used in all walks of life. The most promising ideas will be analyzed and developed further – and possibly even implemented with partner organizations. The OeNPAY idea contest aims to contribute to developing a comprehensive, interoperable e-ID infrastructure and to enhancing Austria’s appeal as a business location in cooperation with all stakeholders.

Why do we need a cross-industry, interoperable e-ID infrastructure?

 

Easy to use

Once installed, the e-ID becomes a standard feature of people’s digital wallets and a constant companion – one single technology that offers numerous functions, such as providing proof of identity, accessing services requiring authentication or entering into a valid contract. The e-ID allows people to access government services online where they once had to go in person. In addition to solving the dilemma of having to create a new password for each account, it provides people with additional security when shopping online or entering into a contract online.

 

Interoperable

An interoperable e-ID infrastructure ensures that several e-ID solutions by different providers can co-exist in the market. End users and businesses can select a solution that is right for them and use one single e-ID for many purposes.

 

International

Interoperability is not limited to a national market: In line with the EU’s efforts to create a European digital identity, OeNPAY aims to help create a national e-ID infrastructure that is interoperable across borders, so that Austrian e-IDs are accepted in other EU countries and vice versa.

 

Secure

High-quality e-ID solutions rely on solid identity verification so the e-ID is a secure, accepted means of identification people can use both in the real world and in the digital sphere. A comprehensive e-ID infrastructure conforms to GDPR standards and meets the requirements of the European eIDAS Regulation. It helps protect people’s privacy, reduce crime and fraud, and protect against data misuse and identity theft.

 

Transparent and user-controlled

When people shop online or access services in the digital sphere, they are almost always required to register and share personal data. What happens next with these data is often neither transparent nor under the users’ control. A comprehensive e-ID infrastructure allows people to control what happens with their data and which details they reveal about themselves.

 

Digitized

A national, interoperable e-ID infrastructure promotes digitization and adds to the country’s appeal as a business location. Today, not all products and services that could be purchased or accessed online are available in the digital realm. Placing new digital services on the market will be fast, simple and secure once a comprehensive e-ID infrastructure has been established in Austria. This, in turn, will accelerate the digitization of products and services, which benefits public and private sector providers alike (e.g. process automation, higher cost efficiency, higher customer satisfaction).
 

About OeNPAY 
The OeNPAY Financial Innovation Hub is an innovation incubator launched by the Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian central bank), with the aim of promoting digital payments all across Austria and beyond. A hub for cross-industry innovation, OeNPAY proactively promotes the development of innovative, sustainable, inclusive and secure payment solutions in cooperation with all stakeholders. 
OeNPAY’s innovation activity fosters competition and contributes substantially to enhancing Austria’s attractiveness as a business location and ensuring the independence of payment solutions in Europe.  A 100% subsidiary of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank, OeNPAY holds a neutral position in the market.