IMPULSE

Public services (as all others) are reaching the Digital Single Market (DSM). Secure and respectful electronic identity (eID) management is an important enabler for trust and confidence in the DSM. Emerging technologies can disrupt eID and have strong potential for empowering existing initiatives. In particular, IMPULSE focuses on 2 of the most promising and disruptive technologies nowadays: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Blockchain, and their contributions to and impacts on eID. IMPULSE will carry out a user-centric and multidisciplinary impact analysis on the integration of Blockchain and AI on eID in public services, evaluating benefits but also risks, costs and limitations, considering socio-economic, legal, ethical and operational impacts, together with framework conditions (like GDPR and eIDAS regulations, existing eID systems, and standards). IMPULSE will use a demand-driven co-creation process as the guide, including pilot-oriented operational experimentation and involving Digital Innovation Hubs. A set of 6 representative and innovative case studies in Denmark, Spain, Bulgaria, Iceland and Italy, led by public service partner, will provide a variety of cultural, operational, legal, procedural and social contexts for research. Two major outcomes will be produced: 1) Holistic AI and blockchain technology supporting GDPR-compliant eID to complement existing EU identity schemas, ensuring cross-border access and secure and adaptable requirements for actionable integration with other public service providers, and adoption by existing Trust Service Providers (TSP) to ensure marketability. 2) Actionable roadmaps (detailing pathways and good practices) for the adoption, escalation and sustainability of such advanced eID technologies by public services in the EU ecosystem, in different countries and at different levels (local, regional, national and cross-border), as well as recommendations for policy makers supporting political accountability and responsibility.

2021

2024