AMSTERDAM & VILNIUS, Lithuania--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), the world leader in digital security, today announced it is delivering 900,000 of its Sealys Laser-Secured e-ID cards, commissioned by the Ministry of Interior of Lithuania*. The Gemalto e-ID card is made of polycarbonate, with all personal data laser-engraved in the card, to ensure the highest level of security and the utmost durability. The national ID card is mandatory for all citizens above 16 and also serves as a travel document in all EU countries. National rollout started on January 5, 2009. Gemalto delivers the cards to its local partner Lodvila, a security printing company in Lithuania and main contractor of the project.

This card, the size of a credit card, features contactless technology for identity verification at border crossings, based on fingerprint check. It also embeds a contact microprocessor which contains a certificate for on-line identification and a qualified** certificate for electronically signing official documents such as contracts and declarations.

Lithuania determined to deploy this national ID card in order to allow citizens to travel freely between Member States, as well as to benefit from national and European e-government services. With this e-ID card, Lithuania has taken the first step towards the implementation of the European Citizen Card standard.

“Gemalto’s digital security technology ensures protection of the card and data it contains,” commented Mr Raimundas Palaitis, Minister of the Interior. “This next generation card shall increase and facilitate public services for the Lithuanian citizens at national level. Smart cards provide new opportunities for our citizens, and encourage proliferation of online services, including public ones.”

“This contact and contactless card is a world premiere as it combines a highly secure identity card and a biometric travel document. Lithuanian citizens will have in hand a second-generation travel document in full compliance with the latest ICAO recommendations on fingerprints. Gemalto is proud that the country is leveraging the best of Gemalto’s digital security technology for its citizens,” added Jacques Seneca, executive vice president of the Security Business Unit for Gemalto.

Gemalto’s references in national e-ID programs include notably Bahrain, Belgium, Finland, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sweden and UAE. Taiwan has also recently deployed Gemalto’s digital security technology for its smart card-based resident card, the electronic Alien Resident Card (ARC).

* Personalization of Identity Documents Centre under the Ministry of the Interior has been authorized to oversee the procurement and personalisation.

** The qualified certificate for e-signature is issued by the Residents' Registry Service under the Ministry of Interior.

About Gemalto

Gemalto (Euronext NL 0000400653 GTO) is the world leader in digital security with 2008 annual revenues of €1.68 billion, and 10,000 employees operating out of 75 offices, research and service centers in 40 countries.

Gemalto is at the heart of our evolving digital society. The freedom to communicate, travel, shop, bank, entertain, and work—anytime, anywhere—has become an integral part of what people want and expect, in ways that are convenient, enjoyable and secure.

Gemalto delivers on the growing demands of billions of people worldwide for mobile connectivity, identity and data protection, credit card safety, health and transportation services, e-government and national security. We do this by supplying to governments, wireless operators, banks and enterprises a wide range of secure personal devices, such as subscriber identification modules (SIM) in mobile phones, smart banking cards, smart card access badges, electronic passports, and USB tokens for online identity protection. To complete the solution we also provide software, systems and services to help our customers achieve their goals.

As the use of Gemalto’s software and secure devices increases with the number of people interacting in the digital and wireless world, the company is poised to thrive over the coming years.

For more information please visit www.gemalto.com.

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