STATE ID NUMBERS
Legal Memoranda
July 2013
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of this memorandum is to identify the different state practices in regards to issuing Identification (ID) Numbers and constitutional constitutional bases for these practices. Identification numbers come in a variety of forms, with some being mandatory for either a particular class of people or for all citizens. citizens. These ID numbers include things things such as social security security numbers, numbers for tax purposes, and citizenship citizenship ID numbers. In order to impose such comprehensive comprehensive schemes, many states, as shown below, utilize national and regional cooperation to implement these ID numbers. State
1. Belgium
2. Germany
Which Level of Government Issues ID Numbers? The National Register (RRN) signs each card and has a database of nationally determined 1 numbers. However, these electronic ID cards can be issued or processed at the 2 local level. The Federal Central Tax Office issues each taxpayer number, under a scheme created by 6 national legislation.
Mandatory?
Yes.
3
Yes, it is mandatory for the relevant class (i.e. 7 taxpayers).
1
Local Involvement?
Constitutional References?
All 589 Belgian municipalities are equipped to administratively deal with issuing and processing ID cards, and they can initiate 4 the process themselves.
None.
5
While the Federal Central Tax Office issues each number, the localized registration authorities are responsible for collecting the relevant information and distributing the final 8 recognition tag.
None.
9
Daniel De Cock, Christopher Wolf & Bart Preneel, The Belgian Electronic Identity Card (Overview), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven 1 (2006), available at http://www.cosic.esat.kuleuven.be/publications/article-769.pdf. http://www.cosic.esat.kuleuven.be/publications/article-769.pdf. 2 Daniel De Cock, Christopher Wolf & Bart Preneel, The Belgian Electronic Identity Card (Overview), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven 1 (2006), available at http://www.cosic.esat.kuleuven.be/publications/article-769.pdf. http://www.cosic.esat.kuleuven.be/publications/article-769.pdf. 3 Ilse Mariën & Leo Van Audenhove, The Belgian e-ID and its Complex Path to Implementation and Innovational Change, Institute for Information Management Bremen (2010), available at http://ilsemarien.com/system/files/277/original/eID_Marien_Vanaudenhove_-_Belgian_Case.pdf. 4 Daniel De Cock, Christopher Wolf & Bart Preneel, The Belgian Electronic Identity Card (Overview), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven 1 (2006), available at http://www.cosic.esat.kuleuven.be/publications/article-769.pdf; http://www.cosic.esat.kuleuven.be/publications/article-769.pdf; Ilse Mariën & Leo Van Audenhove, The Belgian e-ID and its Complex Path to Implementation and Innovational Change, Institute for Information Management Bremen (2010), available at http://ilsemarien.com/system/files/277/original/eID_Marien_Vanaudenhove_-_Belgian_Case.pdf. 5 See BELGIUM CONST. (1970) available at http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/be00000_.html. 6 The Fiscal Code of Germany sec. 139a(1) (Germany, 2002), available at http://www.gesetze-im http://www.gesetze-iminternet.de/englisch_ao/englisch_ao.html. 7 The Fiscal Code of Germany sec. 139a (Germany, 2002), available at http://www.gesetze-im http://www.gesetze-iminternet.de/englisch_ao/englisch_ao.html. 8 The Fiscal Code of Germany sec. 139b(6) (Germany, 2002), available at http://www.gesetze-im http://www.gesetze-iminternet.de/englisch_ao/englisch_ao.html. 9 See GERMAN CONST. (1949), available at http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/gm00000_.html http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/gm00000_.html
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3. Spain
4. Switzerland
5. United Kingdom
A national agency, the Spanish National Factory of Currency, pre personalizes the cards and distributes them to local 10 issuing places. In Switzerland, anyone living in the state or gainfully employed by the state is subject to the social security insurance 14 system. In England and Wales, each government issues a National Health Service 18 number. In Scotland, the government issues a Community Health Index 21 number. In Northern Ireland, the government issues Health and Social Care 23 Numbers.
Yes.
11
Yes, it is mandatory for those in the relevant class (i.e. those 15 employed). 19
No.
None.
Local cantonal offices are tasked with processing applications for insurance 16 benefits.
Article 13 of the constitution indicates that people are protected from the abuse of their 17 personal data. None.
The Personal Demographics Service (PDS) maintains a national database, while each of the four entities is able to issue and maintain their own 20 ID number system.
22
No.
13
The documents are issued by the Spanish police, which serves a local role in the distribution of the 12 documents.
24
No.
10
J. Espinosa Garcia, L. Hernandex Encinas & A. Queiruga Dios, The New Spanish E lectronic Identity Card: DNI-e, I NTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON I NFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES 4-5 (Sep. 21-23, 2007), available at http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/15941/3/IT07_DNIe.pdf. 11 J. Espinosa Garcia, L. Hernandex Encinas & A. Queiruga Dios, The New Spanish E lectronic Identity Card: DNI-e, I NTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON I NFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES 4-5 (Sep. 21-23, 2007), available at http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/15941/3/IT07_DNIe.pdf. 12 J. Espinosa Garcia, L. Hernandex Encinas & A. Queiruga Dios, The New Spanish E lectronic Identity Card: DNI-e, I NTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON I NFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES 4-5 (Sep. 21-23, 2007), available at http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/15941/3/IT07_DNIe.pdf. 13 See SPAIN CONST . (1978) available at http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/sp00000_.html. http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/sp00000_.html. 14 AVS-AI, Social Security in Switzerland 4, 4, available at www.avs-ai.info. www.avs-ai.info. 15 AVS-AI, Social Security in Switzerland 4, 4, available at www.avs-ai.info. www.avs-ai.info. 16 AVS-AI, Social Security in Switzerland 42, 42, 91, available at www.avs-ai.info. www.avs-ai.info. 17 SWITZERLAND CONST. art. 13 (1999) available at http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/sz00000_.html. http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/sz00000_.html. 18 NHS Number Nu mber , NHS 8, available at http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf. http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf. 19 NHS Number Nu mber , NHS 8, available at http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf. http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf. 20 NHS Number Nu mber , NHS 13, 30, available at http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf. http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf. 21 NHS Number Nu mber , NHS 30, available at http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf. http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf. 22 NHS Number Nu mber , NHS 30, available at http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf. http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf. 23 NHS Number Nu mber , NHS 30, available at http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf. http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf. 24 NHS Number Nu mber , NHS 30, available at http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf. http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf.
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