Infineon to supply security controllers for German ID card

The German authorities have been issuing the new electronic ID in chip card format since November 1, 2010. Infineon is providing a share of the chips for Europe’s biggest ID project. Currently, around 60 million German ID cards are in circulation, usually valid for ten years. About 6.5 million ID cards are issued each year. The use of contactless technology in electronic passports has stood the test of time. Now it is the turn of the ID card. Many EU member states have started its introduction, and about 80 percent of electronic ID cards in Europe today contain Infineon security controllers. By the end of 2011, 14 of the 27 EU member states will have started issuing the electronic ID card to their citizens. As a result, almost half of the 500 million EU citizens will have obtained such an ID card within the next years.