Italian national digital ID scheme reaches 30 million users milestone

Applications confirmed as part of the national digital ID scheme in Italy have reached the milestone of the creation of 30 million accounts, of which 10 million were activated in the last 12 months alone.

The Italian Government website also confirmed use of the digital IDs has become more widespread across the country, particularly to take advantage of the online services of the Public Administration.

Over half a billion service access requests were reportedly recorded in 2021 using the SPID, and approximately 330 million in the first quarter of 2022.

Citizens signing up for an SPID must already possess a valid identification document, such as the national digital ID card produced by Thales. Twenty-eight million people now possess that document, according to the announcement.

“We have reached in advance the annual goal of diffusion of digital identity foreseen by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan [PNRR] , and we are getting closer and closer to the 2023 target,” comments Minister for Technological Innovation and Digital Transition, Vittorio Colao, as translated from Italian.

The annual goal was to cover 38 percent of the population and the 2023 aim is to reach 46 percent of the population estimated at slightly over 60 million people. Legal representatives of companies can hold a separate SPID for professional use.

According to the minister, the increasing adoption of digital IDs in Italy represents a fundamental step to continuing the process of digitization.

“Thanks to this widespread diffusion, [we] will be able to offer public services that are even more efficient and easy to use, thus improving the relationship of citizens and businesses with the Public Administration,” Colao adds.

Moreover, the Minister for Technological Innovation and Digital Transition confirmed that both local and central governing entities in Italy are working in concert to increase the adoption of digital ID further, in line with the PNRR timeline.

The increase in the adoption of digital ID in the EU is not a trend limited to Italy. A recent report by Okta has unveiled similar leanings in Ireland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden.

Article Topics

consumer adoption  |  digital government  |  digital identity  |  government services  |  identity verification  |  Italy  |  SPID