Mastercard and International Chamber of Commerce to foster interoperable health passes

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Mastercard are teaming up to encourage the interoperability of digital health pass solutions being developed and implemented for air travel, and to ensure they provide the necessary trust to accelerate the global recovery from COVID-19.

The ICC and Mastercard are both members of ID2020’s Good Health Pass initiative, and the new partnership builds on that project, the companies say. They intend to engage with civil society, businesses, and governments to help foster a competitive environment that accommodates multiple digital solutions or providers, as no one entity will be able to scale fast enough to serve all of the air travel industry’s needs.

Over the coming months, the partners plan to promote digital standards for the management and exchange of digital ID and sensitive health data, and to work with policymakers and business leaders to ensure governments have a selection of compatible digital health passes to chose between.

ICC AOKpass was launched in May of last year to allow users to safely share medical records to border authorities and government agencies. The ICC recommends users secure their mobile device where AOKpass is stored with a passcode or biometrics.

“Around the world, there is an urgent need for us to develop solutions that will help us address the current health concerns and enable people to safely reconnect with each other and their communities,” comments Mastercard President of Cyber and Intelligence Ajay Bhalla. “Delivering a global, interoperable health pass system can only happen if we come together in a way that meets the needs of everyone involved. Together with ICC, its member organisations and our partners in the Good Health Pass Collaborative, we can work to get the world moving again and jumpstart the global economic engine.”

The ICC AOKpass has been piloted by Alitalia, Air Caraïbes, Air France, Etihad Airlines, French Bee, Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, and the city of Girona in Catalonia, Spain, according to the announcement. Mastercard, meanwhile, has expanded tests of its ‘ID’ digital identity service through partnerships with Deakin University in Australia, Optus, and the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia. It was also part of interoperability trials conducted at airports in Glasgow and London.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  credentials  |  data protection  |  data sharing  |  digital identity  |  Good Health Pass Collaborative  |  ID2020  |  identity verification  |  interoperability  |  Mastercard  |  privacy  |  standards  |  travel and tourism