"As representatives of banks and savings banks, we are unwilling to turn a blind eye to the challenges ahead," state the leadership of the German Savings Banks Association (DSGV) and ING-DiBa in a letter to Wolfgang Schmidt, Chief of the Federal Chancellery. They extend an offer to the federal government to collaborate on exploring alternative procedures for PIN resets. Emphasizing the urgency of the matter, the letter underscores their willingness to actively contribute. Simultaneously, it highlights the pressing nature of the situation. The signatories strongly advocate for keeping the PIN reset service running until a new solution is found.

The federal government abruptly terminated the PIN reset procedure for the online ID card feature at the end of the year. The purported annual costs of 20 to 30 million euros reportedly played a decisive role amid the current budget constraints. Additionally, the planned nationwide multimedia campaign to promote the use of online ID cards was scrapped. The Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, along with other renowned companies from the mobile, logistics, or health insurance sectors, had committed to providing services via eID using the "AusweisApp2" technology. The envisioned broadening of application options aimed to dispel the relative obscurity surrounding the online ID card feature and align with the federal government's digital strategy.

At the onset of the year, Sparkassen (savings banks) and ING-DiBa intended to extensively implement the new eID approach. Approximately 200 out of the 350 Sparkassen within the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe were prepared. These institutions purchased the software developed within the Sparkassen organization to implement the eID online service for their customers and integrated it into their IT systems. Initial accounts were already opened through this process at pilot Sparkassen. The unexpected cessation of the PIN reset service significantly jeopardizes the success of the project, according to Sparkassen and ING-DiBa.

The banking sector also has a vested interest in the procedure. The previously employed methods of video identification or photo identification face increasing vulnerabilities with the rise of artificial intelligence. A concern that is shared by security authorities as well. While the legitimization through the eID is legally anchored in the ID card law and the Money Laundering Act, the video and photo methods are only tolerated by the financial supervisory authority BaFin.

To date, a mere 14% of citizens utilize the online ID card function. A survey conducted by the Initiative D21 on bureaucracy reduction and administrative procedure acceleration revealed that about 38% are unaware of the application possibilities. Nearly a tenth of respondents indicated difficulty in locating their PIN. The ability to promptly request a missing PIN online is deemed essential by credit institutions for fostering increased usage. Since the cessation of the PIN reset service, obtaining the PIN now requires a personal visit to the authority.

"The practical benefits, however, are only realized through use cases, which is why we must collaborate," notes the letter to the Federal Chancellery. It underscores the need for collaborative efforts, stating that the "relatively limited resources" of the federal government can be effectively leveraged by the private sector. The letter further argues that the "macroeconomic risk" associated with discontinuing the PIN reset service far outweighs the costs. DSGV and ING-DiBa quantify the economic impact at 150 billion euros by 2030, citing studies presented to them at the Federal Chancellery in 2021.