The Federal Government relaunched the MyGov app. The app provides an alternative for Itsme. Although MyGov.be has been around for some time, since last month, in addition to official documents, it also includes a digital key that allows you to log in securely to government sites such as Tax-on-web, My eBox, My Pension and the Social Security Service’s website. The relaunch was done quietly and without any big publicity campaign.
New MyGov app is provides an alternative to Itsme for though wishing to login to government websites
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Previously, those wishing to log in to government sites to, for example, file their tax return, had to either use their ID card and pin code to log in via their laptop or PC or use the Itsme app .
Itsme is used by millions of people in Belgium and is very convenient. However, it has also made both government and the public dependent on it due to what had been its monopoly. Itsme was developed by four big High Street banks (Belfius, BNP Paribas Fortis, ING and KBC) and the three biggest three telecom operators in Belgium (Proximus, Telenet, Orange).
Concerned about a possible foreign takeover of the company responsible for Itsme or a sudden technical failure leaving the country without a viable alternative, the then Federal Government decided to develop its own alternative for Itsme.
App already existed
Now an alternative is available, an alternative that you may well have already downloaded on to your smartphone. MyGov.be was launched last year as a “digital wallet for all your government information”. Since then, more than 400,000 people in Belgium have activated it, the Federal Policy & Support Department says.
The app already allowed you to retrieve, securely share and store government documents, such as birth and marriage certificates, your social security status, details of your driving licence, vehicle registration certificate and identity card.
New functions launched without publicity
Since mid-October a digital key has been incorporated into MyGov. This means that the app is now a viable alternative to Itsme. This new feature was introduced without any publicity. This contrasts with app’s launch a coup of years ago, when there was a lot of publicity.
The Federal Policy and Support Department says that MyGov.be is not intended to replace Itsme. “The federal government is very satisfied with its cooperation with Itsme and hopes to cooperate with other provides too". The Department add that with the launch of the additional functions on the MyGov app the public will have more choice.
How to use the app?
In order to use the app, you must of course first download it from either the App Store if you have an iPhone or Google Play if you have an Android device. Then open the app and activate it with your digial identity card, a card reader or ... Itsme.
On official websites such as My eBox, My Pension, Tax-on-Web, My Health, etc., you can choose to log in via MyGov. You then need to use the app to scan the QR code that appears on the screen and confirm your identity using a PIN code.
Additional features expected
Currently MyGov only allows you to access Federal Government sites. You will have to wait a little longer to be able log in to Flemish government websites, such as Mijn Burgerprofiel. MyGov will also be expanded further, so that you can also use the app to log in to government applications from other EU Member States.
Ultimately, there will also be a feature that allows you to sign official documents with the app and a mobile version of your identity card that is equivalent to the traditional identity card (currently, you can only retrieve and store data from your eID).
You can also store your driving licence in the app, but the digital version in the app is not yet legally valid. In other words, you still need to carry your physical driving licence with you.