Digital and Population Data Services Agency to streamline transactions for EU citizens with eIDAS identification

The Digital and Population Data Services Agency will introduce the European eIDAS identification (electronic Identification, Authentication and Trust Services) as of 27 February. In the future, you can order a residence certificate and birth certificate in the agency's Population Information System self-service using the identification tokens of the countries that have introduced eIDAS identification.

The introduction of a new identification method concerns the self-service of certificates from the Population Information System. In practice, the reform means that EU citizens and companies can use their own national electronic identification services in another EU Member State. In other words, a person living abroad can, in the future, order a personal residence certificate and birth certificate without email or telephone service. This identification is currently in use in 20 EU countries.
 

Hundreds of residence certificates and birth certificates ordered annually

The introduction of eIDAS identification is part of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's continuous development of digital services to ensure that transactions with public administration are as smooth as possible and primarily digital. The processing of the order will also be faster when the certificate can be paid with advance payment instead of retrospective invoicing.

- The ease of transactions that comes with the reform is significant, as hundreds of these certificates are sent from us every year. Through electronic identification, we receive all the necessary information for the transaction in a controlled manner at once, and the customer can complete the transaction electronically instead of telephone services. This means benefits for both us and the customer, says Tiina Härkönen, Chief Specialist at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.

At the same time, the new identification supports the fluency of cross-border e-services in the EU.
 

Other reforms that benefit EU citizens also planned

In addition to eIDAS identification, the Digital and Population Data Services Agency also promotes electronic identification by preparing EU legislation on European Digital Identity Wallets. Instead of paper certificates, Identity Wallets could be used through a smartphone application throughout the EU to identify and reliably demonstrate different types of personal data electronically.  

In Finland, the Ministry of Finance is responsible for preparing the initiative, while the Digital and Population Data Services Agency ensures that Finland's views are incorporated and keeps Finnish stakeholders informed of the ongoing work.