Ivan Bartos, Deputy Prime Minister for Digitisation, together with the Digital and Information Agency, recently presented several results of their cooperation, which are intended to make life more pleasant and easier for citizens and to make dealing with the authorities more comfortable. The innovations concern both the long-promised mobile ID card and the so-called register of powers of attorney. How will everything work?
The mobile phone represents and represents a whole range of tools nowadays. It is not only a voice and text communicator, but also, for example, a map, a bank, news, a TV screen, a payment tool or an exercise trainer. There are a huge number of functions, so the use of the mobile phone for identification or, if you like, as a substitute for an ID card, has been proposed for a long time.
Pirate MPs have therefore introduced the eDocuments app, which is expected to go live in January 2024. eDocuments will work like any other mobile app that a citizen downloads and registers. There is a variant for both Android and iOS platforms. However, the advantage of using it is that everyone can choose what data they want to communicate about themselves when they are being checked.
In fact, very often the check is only about the name and it is not necessary to know the age. Or, conversely, it is necessary to certify that you are over 18 years of age, at which point you do not need to give your place of residence.
Another advantage is that the operation is essentially unrestricted. If citizens only use their current plastic card, if they lose it, they have to go to the correct office, pay a fine and wait for a new card to be issued. If the mobile phone is lost, it will be sufficient to deactivate the application.
A fingerprint or a facial image on the camera will be enough to initially verify the user’s identity.
More conservative individuals who are not comfortable with the mobile app, or who do not even own a smartphone, do not have to worry about being taken to the police station every time their identity is checked. The plastic cards will continue to work.
Are you facing a legal problem that is beyond your capabilities and does not fall under any of our legal services?
We will assess your case and draft a proposal for legal services to resolve it within 24 hours. If you then decide to entrust its solution in our hands, you have the drafting of the proposal free of charge.
The launch in January does not mean that we will be able to throw away the plastic cards immediately. Even the authorities will get used to the presence of eDocuments gradually. For example, the Police of the Czech Republic, which is probably crucial for the functioning of this platform, will start accepting this type of documents from July 2024. This also applies to tax offices, regions or courts, for example. However, as soon as January, citizens will be able to prove their identity electronically, for example, with the Czech Telecommunications Office and other central state administration bodies. In private companies such as banks, or at the post office, for example, you will be able to show your eObčanka from January 2025.
Tip: Getting into contact and maybe even a scuffle with a police officer or officer can happen to anyone – you don’t have to be an environmental activist who’s just stuck to the road. How do the powers of police officers and constables differ and how do you actually tell them apart? That’s the subject of our separate article.
To travel to and prove your identity in the European Union, you will still need a classic card or, where applicable, a passport. In the future, there will be a so-called eWallet, which should be compatible with eDocuments. However, EU citizens will have to wait a few years for this option.
Another project that should move the level of Czech eGovernment further into the future is the Register of Representations. This was recently introduced by Ivan Bartoš, Deputy Prime Minister for Digitalisation.
Until now, when representing someone in official meetings, it was always necessary to physically present a power of attorney (in some cases, even officially certified), which proved the right to act for someone else. The Register of Representation should change this. The Representation Register will allow the use of essentially digital powers of attorney. This will create a central database where powers of attorney will be stored digitally and where all authorities will be able to consult and verify their validity.
These digital powers of attorney will be valid until they are revoked, so that if someone uses the representation repeatedly, over a period of several years, they will not have to think about the validity or renewal of the power of attorney and, above all, about having the relevant stamped paper in their possession. It will be enough to point out the digital power of attorney and the official will look it up in the database.
Tip: A power of attorney is a very useful tool that can come in handy when selling a vehicle, picking up mail, dealing with the authorities, or re-writing your utility bills. Are you hesitant about whether one template can be used for all these cases and what exactly a power of attorney must contain? We have prepared a clear guide that will answer everything.
But the way in which digital powers of attorney are created is also key. If, in order to create it, it were necessary to bring a paper power of attorney certified by a notary to the municipal office, where it would be registered in a database, such a service would be rather lamentable. However, there is no such threat. A digital power of attorney can be created electronically, simply by using the citizen’s identity and verifying it, for example, via mobile banking or an ID card reader. A simple form is then filled in, where the name of the represented and the representative is entered and for which area or act the power of attorney is issued. Individual offices will start using the register gradually, so initially it will be necessary to check whether or not the institution has already joined the register.
The system will work not only for natural persons, but also, of course, for commercial companies that use powers of attorney for representation often on a daily basis.
As with eDocuments, people need not fear that paper powers of attorney will end. If the electronic form does not suit anyone, then they can still get by with a printed power of attorney.
Dostupný advokát team of online lawyers will solve it for you.
Our team of experienced attorneys will help you solve any legal issue. Within 24 hours we’ll evaluate your situation and suggest a step-by-step solution, including all costs. The price for this proposal is only CZK 690, and this is refunded to you when you order service from us.
Ondřej is the attorney who came up with the idea of providing legal services online. He's been earning his living through legal services for more than 10 years. He especially likes to help clients who may have given up hope in solving their legal issues at work, for example with real estate transfers or copyright licenses.
Fast and professional solutions for most normal legal needs at affordable, preset prices. Seriously, what could be better than that? While it sounds ‘too good to be true,’ I’m happy to report that the staff at DA are pros, and what’s more they are honestly dedicated to their awesome mission, which is to make quality (zobrazit více) Fast and professional solutions for most normal legal needs at affordable, preset prices. Seriously, what could be better than that? While it sounds ‘too good to be true,’ I’m happy to report that the staff at DA are pros, and what’s more they are honestly dedicated to their awesome mission, which is to make quality legal services affordable for the average person. I find their prices very fair when compared to what I’ve usually paid for similar services, which means I (and my family and friends) can get the legal help I need without worrying about some black hole of never-ending fees. In my own experience with DA I’ve found everyone there very responsive, and emails and calls are answered in a timely manner. Their large staff also gives me confidence that any legal needs I have can be handled professionally, as there’s always someone with experience in my particular issue. Their head attorney also writes a regular blog and keeps up with all the latest legal trends, which means they as a business stay up-to-date. As someone who’s spent a fortune over the years on legal assistance, or tried to “go it alone” when I couldn’t afford legal help, I wish Dostupny Advokat had been around a long time ago. I highly encourage anyone who needs legal help to TRY THEM FIRST!
I decided to withdraw from my operating lease prematurely and was charged a ridiculously high penalty, apparently because the car had been sold for a significantly lower price than its market value. I found it frustrating, so I turned to Dostupný advokát for help. They got to work on the case very fast and recommended (zobrazit více) several options on how to proceed. They also helped me prepare all necessary documentation. Thanks to them, I had to pay only a fraction of the original amount and saved tens of thousands of Crowns.
Dostupný advokát updated the terms of a contract for our web portal studentino.cz, to insure that they were in strict accordance with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). The entire process was done online and for reasonable price.
