ID Numbers Chart

STATE ID NUMBERS
Legal Memoranda

July 2013

1

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of this memorandum is to identify the different state practices in regards to
issuing Identification (ID) Numbers and constitutional bases for these practices. Identification
numbers come in a variety of forms, with some being mandatory for either a particular class of
people or for all citizens. These ID numbers include things such as social security numbers,
numbers for tax purposes, and citizenship ID numbers. In order to impose such comprehensive
schemes, many states, as shown below, utilize national and regional cooperation to implement
these ID numbers.

State Which Level of
Government Issues ID
Numbers?
Mandatory? Local Involvement? Constitutional
References?
1. Belgium The National Register
(RRN) signs each card and
has a database of
nationally determined
numbers.
1
However, these
electronic ID cards can be
issued or processed at the
local level.
2

Yes.
3
All 589 Belgian
municipalities are equipped
to administratively deal with
issuing and processing ID
cards, and they can initiate
the process themselves.
4

None.
5

2. Germany The Federal Central Tax
Office issues each
taxpayer number, under a
scheme created by
national legislation.
6

Yes, it is
mandatory for
the relevant
class (i.e.
taxpayers).
7

While the Federal Central
Tax Office issues each
number, the localized
registration authorities are
responsible for collecting the
relevant information and
distributing the final
recognition tag.
8

None.
9

1
Daniel De Cock, Christopher Wolf & Bart Preneel, The Belgian Electronic Identity Card (Overview), Katholieke
Universiteit Leuven 1 (2006), available at http://www.cosic.esat.kuleuven.be/publications/article-769.pdf.
2
Universiteit Leuven 1 (2006), available at http://www.cosic.esat.kuleuven.be/publications/article-769.pdf.
3
Ilse Marin & Leo Van Audenhove, The Belgian e-ID and its Complex Path to Implementation and Innovational Change,
Institute for Information Management Bremen (2010), available at http://ilsemarien.com/system/files/277/original/e-
ID_Marien_Vanaudenhove_-_Belgian_Case.pdf.
4
Universiteit Leuven 1 (2006), available at http://www.cosic.esat.kuleuven.be/publications/article-769.pdf; Ilse Marin & Leo
Van Audenhove, The Belgian e-ID and its Complex Path to Implementation and Innovational Change, Institute for
Information Management Bremen (2010), available at http://ilsemarien.com/system/files/277/original/e-
ID_Marien_Vanaudenhove_-_Belgian_Case.pdf.
5
See BELGIUM CONST. (1970) available at http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/be00000_.html.
6
The Fiscal Code of Germany sec. 139a(1) (Germany, 2002), available at http://www.gesetze-im-
internet.de/englisch_ao/englisch_ao.html.
7
The Fiscal Code of Germany sec. 139a (Germany, 2002), available at http://www.gesetze-im-
8
The Fiscal Code of Germany sec. 139b(6) (Germany, 2002), available at http://www.gesetze-im-
9
See GERMAN CONST. (1949), available at http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/gm00000_.html
2
3. Spain A national agency, the
Spanish National Factory
of Currency, pre-
personalizes the cards and
distributes them to local
issuing places.
10

Yes.
11
The documents are issued by
the Spanish police, which
serves a local role in the
distribution of the
documents.
12

None.
13

4. Switzerland In Switzerland, anyone
living in the state or
gainfully employed by the
state is subject to the
social security insurance
system.
14

Yes, it is
mandatory for
those in the
relevant class
(i.e. those
employed).
15

Local cantonal offices are
tasked with processing
applications for insurance
benefits.
16

Article 13 of the
constitution
indicates that
people are
protected from the
abuse of their
personal data.
17

In England and Wales,
each government issues a
National Health Service
number.
18

No.
19

In Scotland, the
government issues a
Community Health Index
number.
21

No.
22

5. United
Kingdom
In Northern Ireland, the
government issues Health
and Social Care
Numbers.
23

No.
24

The Personal Demographics
Service (PDS) maintains a
national database, while each
of the four entities is able to
issue and maintain their own
ID number system.
20

None.

10
J. Espinosa Garcia, L. Hernandex Encinas & A. Queiruga Dios, The New Spanish Electronic Identity Card: DNI-e,
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES 4-5 (Sep. 21-23, 2007), available at
http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/15941/3/IT07_DNIe.pdf.
11
12
13
See SPAIN CONST. (1978) available at http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/sp00000_.html.
14
AVS-AI, Social Security in Switzerland 4, available at www.avs-ai.info.
15
AVS-AI, Social Security in Switzerland 4, available at www.avs-ai.info.
16
AVS-AI, Social Security in Switzerland 42, 91, available at www.avs-ai.info.
17
SWITZERLAND CONST. art. 13 (1999) available at http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/sz00000_.html.
18
NHS Number, NHS 8, available at http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf.
19
20
NHS Number, NHS 13, 30, available at http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf.
21
22
23
24

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