Starmer’s ID plan has caused upset, but in the EU the debate has long been settled

<p>ID cards have become an essential part of life for many across the bloc, with digital versions already launched in many member states</p><p>On the continent, the debate currently raging in the UK over national <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/idcards">ID cards</a> has long been settled. Across Europe, physical identity cards have existed for decades, and digital versions have either already been successfully launched or are being trialled.</p><p>In all bar two of the EU’s 27 member states, physical <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/idcards">ID cards</a>, in a standard, machine-readable EU format introduced in 2021, serve both as identity documents in citizens’ home countries, and for travel within the passport-free Schengen zone.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/26/starmer-id-card-plan-has-caused-upset-but-in-the-eu-the-debate-has-long-been-settled">Continue reading...</a>