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07/21/2025 15:51

Digital Identity in Practice – New Study on the Activation of the eID Function of the German ID Card

Dr. Myriam Rion Pressestelle
Max-Planck-Institut für Innovation und Wettbewerb

    Who in Germany has a secure digital identity? How high is the potential use of the electronic ID card? A new interdisciplinary study by the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition now provides representative figures on the activation of the eID function of the German ID card. The results of the survey conducted in October 2024 show that only 35% of the adult German-speaking population have activated the eID function, 6% are not even aware of it. The low overall prevalence of eID is in contrast to the political objectives of the German Federal Government.

    The electronic ID function (eID) was introduced to provide German citizens with a secure digital identity. All ID cards issued since 2010 and all electronic residence permits issued since 2011 have been eID-capable. However, the function must be activated at great time and effort. This requires a visit to the citizens’ office, although in other EU member states the eID of the ID card is either automatically active (for example in Estonia and Belgium) or directly linked to a bank account (for example in Sweden and Finland).

    It is already known that Germans have hardly used the eID to date. However, this is not only due to technical and institutional hurdles, but also to a lack of use cases and occasions.

    The current study now shows which population groups activate the eID – and which do not. The eID is activated significantly more frequently by men, younger people, city dwellers, people with a high school diploma, Germans with a migration background, and foreign citizens, among others. Among professionals, those with a legal background or in administrative jobs stand out.

    The low overall prevalence of eID is in contrast to the political objectives of the German Federal Government. Electronic identity is a central pillar of the European eIDEAS Regulation (EU No. 910/2014). As the regulation is explicitly aimed at “seamless electronic interaction” with companies, there is a risk of a dilemma of mutual conditionality: companies that represent the majority of eID usage options in other countries have little reason to integrate eID into their services in Germany, as the activation rate is so low.

    The authors therefore recommend a targeted approach to population groups with a low activation rate, such as women and older people, as well as greater involvement of the population in the further development of user-friendly digital services. Most important, however, would be the removal of barriers and obstacles to the activation of the eID.

    The authors of the study are:

    Michael E. Rose, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow
    Jörg Hoffmann, Senior Research Fellow
    Prof. Dietmar Harhoff, Ph.D., Director at the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition

    ABOUT THE MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE FOR INNOVATION AND COMPETITION

    The Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition is committed to fundamental legal and economic research on processes of innovation and competition and their regulation. The Institute's research focuses on the incentives, determinants and implications of innovation. With an outstanding international team of scholars and excellent scientific and administrative infrastructure including the renowned library, the Institute hosts academics from all over the world and actively promotes young researchers. Through dedicated educational efforts, the Institute engages in the training and mentoring of early-career researchers and fosters knowledge exchange with national and international institutions. The Institute informs and guides legal and economic discourse on an impartial basis. As an independent research institution, the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition provides evidence-based research results to academia, policymakers, the private sector as well as the general public.

    To the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition: https://www.ip.mpg.de/en/


    Contact for scientific information:

    Michael E. Rose, Ph.D.
    Senior Research Fellow
    https://www.ip.mpg.de/en/persons/rose-michael.html


    Original publication:

    Rose, Michael E., Hoffmann, Jörg, Harhoff, Dietmar (2025). Wer hat die elektronische Ausweisfunktion aktiviert?, Wirtschaftsdienst, 105 (7), 525–528.
    https://www.wirtschaftsdienst.eu/inhalt/jahr/2025/heft/7/beitrag/wer-hat-die-ele...


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