Gemalto contributes to Spain’s eID program

More than 250,000 Gemalto smart card readers were delivered to support the Spanish government’s electronic ID project in November. Gemalto’s PC Twin TR readers will be used by Spanish citizens with their electronic ID card (DNI electronico) to securely access various eServices such as eGovernment and eBanking, and to sign electronic documents. The order was received via local distributor Diode from Red. es, an entity within the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade in charge of driving the information society in Spain and for carrying out strategic projects. The Spanish Government is providing the smart card readers to its citizens at no extra cost. This move is part of the new action plan to further boost use of national eID card in the country. It is foreseen that at the end of 2009, 14 million citizens will hold a DNIe card.