Guest blogged by Nicole Mountain

Over the past couple of weeks we’ve heard further announcements regarding new and upcoming smart card based ID schemes from around the world.

This week, the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs began rolling out biometric ePassports via ten of its 18 regional consular offices (RCO) – the remaining provinces will start issuance later in the year.

At the end of March 2010, Bulgaria will start to issue biometric ePassports for its citizens, as a part of the country’s requirements to join the European Union. The changes will apply to all Bulgarian ID documents including drivers’ licences and foreign national residency permits. Pakistan has also announced that it will begin to issue smart card based ID cards for adult citizens from December 2010, in a bid to bring economic and social change to the country.

This week on security-news.tv, watch an interview with Tilo Pannenbäcker, Head of Infineon Technologies’ transport business, as he speaks with Karen Brindley about a new industry initiative to provide an improved security solution for next generation smart card based public transport applications