. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/BEL/31
21 January 2002
(02-0277)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  French
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   BELGIUM
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):
2. Agency responsible:
Ministry of Civil Service and Modernization of Public Administration
Federal Public Agency for Information and Communication Technologies (FEDICT)
Chaussée Saint-Pierre 373 - boîte 3
B-1040 Brussels
Tel.:  +32 2 739-3611Fax:  +32 2 739-3600
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers and E-mail and Web site
addresses, if available) of  theagency or authority designated to handle comments
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):
Card readers enabling the following:
- identity card activation;
- consultation of data recorded electronically on the chip of a digital identity
card and implementation of dynamic functions, such as card holder
identification;
- mutual authentication;
- electronic certification and signatures;- data checks by monitoring agencies.
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   R o y a l  D e c r e e  o n
Identity Cards.
6. Description of content:   On 19 July 2001, the Belgian Cabinet approved the concepts of
the new digital identity card.  This card, of bank-card (ID1) format, will possess an
electronic microprocessor and present information visible to the naked eye as well as
holding electronic data.  It will also, unless citizens object, incorporate a certificate of
identity and a signature certificate.G/TBT/N/BEL/31
Page 2
6. Description of content: (cont'd)
In addition to performing the same functions as the present identity card, it will
make digital authentication and a digital signature available to all citizens.  The project will
be implemented in two phases: the first phase, a six-month pilot project in which eleven
municipalities will take part and which will be assessed upon its conclusion, is scheduledfor the beginning of the second half of 2001.  The aim of this pilot phase is to obtain the
necessary guarantees in terms of both quality of production and the management system and
the authentication and signature functions.  At the end of this period, and in the event of a
favourable assessment, the project should be extended to the other 578 Belgian
municipalities.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
Identity cards will enable citizens to access e-government services.  Such access will help to
achieve a greater degree of transparency within the Civil Service and the modernization of
the procedures implemented by the various public services.
8. Relevant documents:
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: }60 days
10. Final date for comments:
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax
numbers and E-mail and Web site addresses, if available, of another body: