eHerkenning is a login means approved in Europe. It enables you to arrange your affairs online with government organisations in the European Economic Area (EEA) that offer European login options.
Check out the list of EEA countries at Rijksoverheid.nl
Advantages
- Dutch businesses can log in to an online service in another European country, using their eHerkenning means.
- This makes doing cross-border business online just as reliable and secure as doing business in your own country.
Making your eHerkenning means suitable
To log in to a government organisation in Europe that offers European login options, you must first make your eHerkenning means suitable for use over the border. Please contact your supplier.
You will at least need the following:
- eHerkenning means with level of assurance EH3 or higher
- citizen service number
- arrange the appropriate authorisations for each country
If the level of assurance of the login means you wish to use to log in in Europe is lower than EH3, you will first have to upgrade your eHerkenning means.
Remember, an authorisation is specific to a country and not a service. In other words, to do business online in Belgium, you will first have to arrange an authorisation ‘public service in Belgium’. Only then, will you able to log in to service providers in Belgium.
If you want to use your eHerkenning to log in in Europe, contact your supplier. They will help you to make the appropriate arrangements.
You need an eHerkenning means with level of assurance EH3, issued by the eHerkenning supplier based on personal identification.
If your eHerkenning means does not meet these requirements, additional checks may be necessary.
Logging in immediately
When you have made all the appropriate arrangements, whether or not you can log in immediately will depend on the foreign service provider and how it has structured its online processes.
Be aware that the service provider may demand several additional items of information the first time you log in, before you can actually handle your affairs, online.
The citizen service number (BSN) is used once only in the registration process, to generate a unique number. When using your eHerkenning means over the border, the European service provider will receive this unique number.
- Your BSN is not stored by your eHerkenning supplier.
- The unique number cannot be derived to your BSN. The process of passing on your BSN can differ between different eHerkenning suppliers.
For cross-border use, suppliers must carry out additional actions and checks to make an eHerkenning means suitable.
The amount you pay depends on your supplier.
When logging in across the border, personal data will be issued following your consent. The European service provider needs this data from you, in order to provide a service. The following details are required:
- family name
- first names
- date of birth
The service provider can also ask for:
- first names or family names at birth
- place of birth
- address
- gender
These details are obtained from the Personal Records Database (BRP).
Giving consent
To log in to a European service provider, you must first give your consent for sharing your personal data.
If you do not give your consent, your data will not be shared, but you will also not be able to log in to this service provider.
Authorising employees
If you wish to use eHerkenning across the border, you must be aware of the following:
- An authorisation applies to all (government) services in a country, and for any new services that may be offered in the future.
It is therefore important to pay particular attention when authorising someone to act on behalf of your business or organisation; and to remember which rights you allocate to an authorisation manager.
If you have allocated an employee general authority, after passing on the citizen service number (BSN), your employee may be able to act directly on behalf of the business or organisation, across international borders.
Check carefully with your eHerkenning supplier.
Logging in European wide
Logging in European wide, with a national login means such as eHerkenning, is possible thanks to the eIDAS Regulation. The purpose of this regulation is to facilitate ‘cross-border digital transactions’ (interoperability) between citizens in the European Economic Area (EEA), thus encouraging economic and social development between the participating countries.
The acronym eIDAS stands for ‘Electronic Identification And Trust Services’. As of yet, not all countries use the eIDAS infrastructure for cross-border login. The system is currently expanded step by step.