Policing the community: The impact of national identity cards in the European Union

Abstract

For most citizens living in the European Union, the carrying of a national identity card has become an accepted part of life, but in the UK it has been at the centre of an ongoing and controversial debate. This article explores the potential effect the introduction of a national identity card scheme in the UK may have on the relationship between the police and ethnic minority groups and examines the significance of the scheme being voluntary or compulsory. It draws on the experiences of other EU countries, focusing particularly on France, Germany and the Netherlands, and suggests that the use of identity checks by police officers and other official agencies impacts disproportionately on ethnic minority groups. It goes on to conclude that the degree of compulsion to carry the card is of less importance than the nature of the accompanying legislation and that identity cards can be used as a means to harass and inconvenience those who do not share the characteristics of the host nation.