A new report on how states in the European Union implement ID
cards has found 17 countries have made national ID cards
mandatory for their citizens, while only four have not, Security
Document World reports. Of the 17 countries, 13 use traditional
plastic ID cards and eight have introduced new smartcard
technology. Smartcards feature an embedded chip that can store
more detailed information, making them a stronger security tool
than conventional IDs. Smartcards can also include biometric
information, which currently is one of the strongest security
mechanisms available for governments to defend against
counterfeit plastic cards. Of the eight countries that use
smartcards, Belgium, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain and
Sweden are the only ones that have introduced biometric data on
to them, the report relays. Countries across the globe have
introduced smart card technology to improve safety and
convenience for residents. Canada was one of the leading
adopters of biometric passports, using the technology to ens