Friday, August 5, 2011

1487 - CARTES & IDentification: Biometric Identity Documents: a Rapidly Growing and Increasingly Diversified Market

By Benzinga Staff
Created 07/15/2011 - 10:06am
   Posted on 07/15/11 at 10:06am by Benzinga Staff  [1]
 
  PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

 A rapidly growing market
 
 The indications and opinions all point towards a rapidly growing and  increasingly diverse market for identity cards and e-passports, and more  generally that of secure identity documents, issued by states or  businesses. Eurosmart forecasts that 225 million electronic identity  documents will be delivered in the world this year, which represents an  increase of 18% compare to 2010. The latest Pira International study  (February 2010) on the market for personal identity technology predicts  an annual increase of around 12% over 7 years and a market which should  reach €7.5 billion in 2014.

 The market for e-passports: 250 million issued in 75 countries at the  end of 2010
 
 Since 2004, there has been a steady increase in the number of first  generation biometric passports, complying with ICAO (International Civil  Aviation Organisation) norms, being issued. At the end of 2010, more  than 250 million documents of this type had been delivered in more than  75 countries throughout the world. Canada remains the only developed  country to have deferred, once again, its plan to issue this type of  document whereas China began its first trials at the beginning of the  year.
 
 The rapid growth of biometric identity cards
 
 The case of national identity cards is a little more mixed. The launch  of the biggest biometric census project in the world in India in 2010,  aiming to provide more than a billion Indians with a unique  identification number (UID), came at the same time as Great Britain  abandoned, for political and financial reasons, its national identity  card project, despite the fact that it had been set out in the 2006  "Identity Cards Act". This also corresponded to the launch of the German  national identity card (80 million contactless cards to be rolled out)  and to the announcement of a parliamentary bill in France to launch a  contact and contactless identity card, corresponding, like the German  card, to the European IAS (Identification Authentication Signature)  specifications. More recently, Turkey announced that it was in the final  stages of developing a national identity card (75 million cards and over  100,000 biometric readers to be rolled out over 5 years), henceforth  compliant with the European IAS standards rather than the American NIST  (National Institute of Standardisation and Technology) technical  recommendations which it followed for its first version.

 Despite political vicissitudes with which national identity card  projects are certainly faced, the global market is growing rapidly and  at a pace with e-passports. All the key players in the industry  (Gemalto, Morpho, Oberthur Technologies, Giesecke&Devrient, Smartrac,  ASK, etc.) have been reporting an increase in activity in the personal  identity sector over the past two or three years, often in double  figures. The latter now increasingly includes company cards for IAM  (Identity Access Management) applications.
 
 Biometrics and security
 
 In addition, these rapidly growing markets are tending to widen,  encompassing an increasing number of applications. The fight against  identity theft and fraud, but also the advantage to states of having a  national identity register able to serve as a secured database for  democratic elections and more recently still the need to secure the  internet and to set up new services for citizens, are major factors  which are advancing this market and technological innovations. In the  United States, for example, several states are about to issue secure  driving licences thanks to a six-layer, laser-engraving technique which  enables a 3D photograph to be incorporated into the body of the card. In  France, it seems to have been accepted that future driving licences will  incorporate an electronic chip similar to the one used on e-passports.  In mid-May the American government launched an unprecedented initiative  to "secure cyberspace", calling upon international collaboration and  making explicit reference to the need to roll out smart cards. A few  weeks previously, the NIST had published a document outlining security  recommendations in order to protect the vast production and electricity  networks (smart grids), again making reference to the key role played by  the switch to smart identity cards. This also concerns other areas: the  biometric census of populations in a certain number of African countries  enables the IMF in particular and humanitarian organisations to quantify  aid requirements. Biometric checks carried out off-line make it possible  to determine whether aid distributed to populations does in fact reach  the people in question.
 
 Towards a consolidated market
 
 This surge in activity and the promises it holds for the years to come  at the same time encourage a consolidation of the industry. This will be  happening shortly, as demonstrated by the acquisition by Morpho (Safran  group) of the highly strategic business L-1 Identity solutions in the  United States, but also that of Cogent by 3M Security, which have  contributed without doubt to the rapid rise of this market.

 To find out more about these issues, visit the CARTES &  IDentification show on 15th, 16th and 17th November 2011 at Paris-Nord  Villepinte Exhibition Centre in France. One of the many conferences  being offered:
 
 Trust, Privacy and Security – Tuesday 15 November

 As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, it is important to  have a level of trust while maintaining transaction security. This  session will discuss how users wish to protect their privacy while  communicating over the web. Providers must guarantee the identity of the  person conducting the transaction. New leaks or hacks appear almost  every week in all areas of business: retail, healthcare, gaming and  more. Some of these leaks and hacks are preventable and in this session  the audience will hear some of the techniques used to thwart these  attacks.
 
 Chairman: Donald E.MALLOY, President, OATH

 e-ID schemes, security and added-value for citizens - Xiring  conference – Wednesday 16 November
 
 After last year's successful e-ID conference, XIRING, leader in security  solutions for electronic transactions, particularly with respect to  e-Health and e-ID, is organising half a day of conferences on the  subject as part of the official conference.
 
 Chairman: Georges LIBERMAN , Founder & CEO, XIRING
 
 e-Government and secure ID – Thursday 17 November
 
 The concept of a secure identity has become a critically important issue  for citizens, governments and businesses: rights to vote, access  control, driving licences, financial transactions, healthcare services,  travel documents, etc. With globalisation, risks are increasing:  identity fraud, terrorism, financial losses and so on. High level  speakers will present the means put in place to secure identities  through examples of successful implementation on an international scale.

 Chairman: John DEVLIN , Principal Analyst - Smart Cards & Embedded  Security - ABI RESEARCH
 
 To access the latest information about CARTES & IDentification:
 
 www.cartes.com  
[2]  / www.blogcartes.com  [3]
 

 Follow us on Twitter @_cartes, and use #cartes2011
   1 Source: Pira International study
 
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Bérengère Deleage – Karine Monsallier –  Lucie Robet
cartes@lewispr.com  [4]
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