Press conference for presentation of the National Electronic Identity of the Republic of Cyprus was presented on Tuesday, 21 January 2025, by the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Dr. Nikodimos Damianou. The event was attended and delivered a speech regarding the importance that the Government attaches to digital transformation by the Deputy Minister to the President, Ms. Irene Piki.
The electronic identity (eID) is the unique, secure identity of every citizen in the online world. It allows identification in public and private online services, while at the same time providing the ability for its holder to sign electronic documents with absolute security and with the same legal force as a handwritten signature.
The National Electronic Identity of the Republic of Cyprus has already been approved by the European Commission at the highest level of security and recognition (“High Assurance”) under the eIDAS Regulation, under the registered name: IDMe.cy. Therefore, it can be recognized for cross-border electronic transactions within the European Union.
This is a particularly important tool for both citizens and the economy, and falls within the framework of actions of the "Digital Citizen" Program, through which the Government progressively offers citizens, businesses and professionals a series of useful digital solutions that will practically facilitate their daily lives, focusing on the triptych of speed - security - convenience.
During the conference, the Deputy Minister emphasized that the use of electronic identity (eID) and interconnected electronic signature is not limited only to citizens' transactions with the state, but also for private or other professional use. Referring to the importance of this tool for the development of the digital economy itself, he called on businesses and professionals to utilize the electronic identity mechanism to further digitize their electronic relationship with their customers and expand the scope of their work, while reducing their operational and administrative costs and increasing their efficiency.
Regarding the public sector, the Deputy Minister referred to the ways in which the electronic identity will be utilized at this stage, as well as the next steps for the gradual expansion of its use. Specifically, in the first stage, by obtaining his electronic identity, the citizen will be able to enter the Government systems through CY Login, using the eID codes. At the same time, the electronic signature has already been integrated into the "Ippodamos" system, while it is planned to be gradually integrated into other state systems, such as the Department of the Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property and the Department of Road Transport, which are in the implementation phase.
At the same time, and in the context of the evolutionary implementation of digital services, a series of services, for which the relevant application is currently offered only in paper form, will now be able to be completed in digital form, signed with an electronic signature and sent electronically, via email, to the competent state services. In the first phase, this possibility concerns 21 applications from the Social Insurance Services, while soon the list of services will be expanded to other departments of the Government.
The Government is subsidizing 100.000 electronic ID cards for Cypriot citizens, with the first 30.000 electronic ID cards being made available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis and the remaining 70.000 at a final cost to the citizen of €15.
Applications for the issuance of an electronic identity card begin on Monday, January 27, 2025, while beneficiaries are Cypriot citizens over 18 years of age, holders of a Biometric Identity Card.
For more information regarding electronic identity, the mechanisms it supports, the methods of use, as well as the procedures for its issuance and use, a relevant website has been created: www.idme.gov.cy.