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

ID cards have become an essential part of life for many across the bloc, with digital versions already launched in many member states

On the continent, the debate currently raging in the UK over national ID cards 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.

In all bar two of the EU's 27 member states, physical ID cards, 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.