Zetes wins contracts to deploy e-signature technology in Belgian IDs

Oct 8, 2018 | Stephen Mayhew

Categories Biometrics News | Civil / National ID

Zetes has extended its role of providing Belgian government ID by winning a pair of contracts from the Belgian Ministry of the Interior.

Under one ten-year contract, Zetes will produce and personalize eID, KidsID, residence permits and similar documents. Under the other, the company will issue the authentication and signature certificates contained in these same documents, which allows the identity of document-bearer to be verified in an electronic transaction and gives documents signed using eID legal status.

“The Belgian eID is an iconic project for Zetes. Since the beginning, our partnership with the Belgian authorities has been extremely productive,” says Zetes CEO Alain Wirtz. “It has allowed us to provide Belgian citizens with high-quality and very secure state-of-the-art electronic documents. We are delighted to be able to renew this collaboration, whilst also extending its scope.”

Zetes has a long-standing relationship with the Belgian government, since the launch of Belgium’s eID in 2003, which was a world first, according to the announcement.

The newly-launched ZetesConfidens portfolio of e-signature products allows the certificates to be recognized as issued by a Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP), as required by Europe’s eIDAS regulation.

The eID cards also contain a contactless chip, from which personal data can be safely shared using Zetes’ public key infrastructure (PKI), allowing the cards to be used as travel documents. Zetes has also taken on responsibility for issuing eHealth certificates, to allow healthcare service providers to interact with the eHealth platform.