News Archive 2007

13.06.2007
Finnish Government regards Mobile Signatures as crucial for rolling out electronic IDs
"Now is the time. ...", Communications Minister Suvi Lindén says.

According to the Communications Minister Suvi Lindén, all Finns will be issued with an electronic ID during the current legislation period.

"Now is the time. We are a bad government, if we can't make it", she says.

Public authorities have for many years worked on the electronic ID concept. The vision is that Finns in the near future port their electronic ID to their mobile phone among others for: getting their medical prescriptions, voting, tax declaration and paying their bills.

Minister Lindén does not see the need for a publicly owned infrastructure. She is in favour of co-operation with private stakeholders.

In the full Aamulehti article published on Saturday 9.6.07, she also points out challenges in integrating various health care related IT systems and mentions that electronic prescriptions are on their way.

The article addresses also her statements on having a broadband internet connection to every home, the much disputed corporate email privacy draft for law as well as the soon to be closed analogue TV network.

Finally - she is also talking about the electronic ID in general, with a particular mentioning of mobile signatures as the ideal basis for a rollout to reach all citizens.

Links:
Helsingin Sanomat
Aamulehti